The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-09-03
CONGRESS STIRRED BY
NEW HAVEN WRECK
Resolution in House Says Divi.
dends Have Been Placed
Above Safety.
MAY ABOLISH WOOD CARS
Equipment, Roadbed and System
Are Obsolete, Britton
Charges.
MAY ABOLISH WOOD CARS

wAsHiNafoN. Sept. 2.-The waiting.
ford wreck on the New Haven road ID
likely to lead to some dehnite action on
the part Of Congress in regard to com.
peiling the railroads to substitute steel
for wooden coaches. A resolution al
ready has been introduced In Congress
calling for an investigation Of the New
York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
tivity among Legislators to-day.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
also has undertaken an investigation and
members Of the commission expressed the
opinion to-day that this wreck In likely
to result In legislation making II manda-
tory for the railroads to provide steel
passenger cars within a nxed time.
The resolution Of inquiry introduced
In tho House to-day was BY Representa-
tive Fred A. Britton Of Illinois. II called
upon the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to make . thorough investigation Of
the New York, New Haven and Hartford
with . view to suggesting legislation Of .
cites that there have been not less than
fourteen fatal wrecks on the New Haven
within the last two years
Essipnest IL Obsolete.
The resolution adds that II is the COM
monty accepted opinion that the equip
ment. roadbed and general system Of con-
Quoting the lines are antiquated to the
- Al R..- 49,
there has been protracted period In the
history OF the road where efficiency and
safety Of the passengers have been dis.
regarded because the payment Of large
dividends has been considered the para
mount necessity to the successful admin
istration OF the company. The resolution
says that an Investigation and remedial
iegislatio have been rendered necessary.
The Britton resolution has been referred
to the Committee on Interstate Com
merce.
In addition to this Chairman Adam
son OF the House Interstate Commerce
Committee announced that his committee
will begin the consideration at an carry
date OF bills now before II requiring all
railroads to use steel passenger equip
ment
Congress already has taken the initia-
tive by passing a bill providing that by
July I. 1916. no wooden cars shall ne
used In the United States mail service.
and that the same protection should
be afforded to passengers that is pro
posed for mail clerks WAS the opinion ex-
pressed to-day by members who had sue
ceeded In putting the mail coach bill
through. II is acknowledged. however.
that the railroads will have permission to
increase their rates II any such extensive
outlay is demanded In the immediate fu-
ture.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
is IN sympathy with the general plan
of legislation against wooden coaches.
Commissioner McChord. in charge Of the
safety appliances division OF the commits
sion. when he received otihcation Of the
wreck Immediately teleEraphed to General
Manages Woodward Of the New Haven
road warning him not to destroy the
debris VI the wooden coaches. In one or
two previous wrecks the New Haven offi-
cials have cOincidentally with taking care
Of the dead and wounded begun the work
Of destroying wrecked passenger equip
ment, 40 that when safety appliance In
sp-ctors arrived on the scene within N few
hours after the wreck all they found WAS
ashes and twisted steel.
Coaches Date t0 Civil war.
Statistics az the commission show that
the New Haven road had at least a score
and half Of passenger coaches that were
used IN transporting troops In the civil
war. these going into service In 1862. Al
ha ~ a finn nf ha
mission INTO wrecks on the New Haven u
developed that out OF 2.2SS cars OF various
types comprising the passenger equipment
owned by the New Haven In June. 1919,
only thirty-one were OF all steel construc-
tion. Among the 2.2Ss were "the vet
erans' Of the war between the States.
In the decade preceding 1881 1873 were
built IA In the next decade. all In the
next. $50 In the next decade. Eighty
nine coaches were built In 1912 and In
1874 the New Haven has added three pas
senger coaches to Its equipment.
The total number Of Pullmans In use on
the New Haven the record shows to be
ass. Of which 20 are all steel. 81 with
steel under frames and the remaining IS
Of wooden construction.
Chief Inspector OF safety Appliances
II. w, beHhnep iet' "a0"'"eso" s"s
afternoon at o'clock to take personal
charge Of the commissions preliminary In
vestigation. Inspectors Howard and Lyon
are already on the scene.
Commissioner McChord. commenting on
the wreck tO-day. said
II can only say We are going to make
q most thorough and eficient probe Of the
latest New Haven disaster. 1t would oe
improper for me to discuss the Walling-
ford wreck In advance Of its being ON
cisiiy before me-" 49,
Commissioners MoChord. however. called
attention TO the fact that In previous In.
vsstisations Of wrecks on the New Haven
attention was directed to the fact that this
railroad was among those that had made
slow progress In the matter Of steel car
equipment