Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-07

Hartford Conn. May 6.-The rail- road companies in opposition to the fuli crew bill had their afternoon with the committee on railroaf- and it was made interesting by frequent lively although entirely good natured tits between F. C. Terry. representing in a legaI way the railroad men, and General Manager C. L. Bardo Of the New Haven system, who was the chief 1bfector to the bill under considera- tion.
 The contention of MT. Bardo was that AIr. Terry in his cross eXamlna- ton was putting up supposftlouS cases and then expecting answers to Ques- lions of conditions which might exist i'm those cases. MT. Eardo told MT. Terry to get down to brass tackS" and quote real cases. real situations which had developed in which an extra man on a train would have been an additional safeguard to the train and would have lessened the hazard to the men on the train. Mir. Terry at one time was plying questions in rapid fire order when Mir. Bardo said that this was all child's play. and he ob- sected to wasting a lot of time in 'cheap questioning"
 Ba-do Answers Advocates of Bill
 The railroads rested their case on the opinion of operating railroad off, cia3s who were pronounced against the bill before the committee. MT. Bardo read a statement of some length, which he had prepared which not only gave his reasons for opposing the bill but gave an answer to many of the points raised by the proponents last week Mir Bardo had first given a short sketch of his railroad experience which showed that he had seen long and very important services with sev- ersl roads, filling positions or reSpon- sfbility. and coming to the New Haven system last February
 Trains Not Undermanned.
 The statement he read set forth that h. had had considerable to do with full crew legislation in Pennsy sylvania, New York and New Jersey and he had studied the results very carefully He did not favor the bill before the committee as the trains as run in this state are not undermanned; that there Is no reason to increase the number of men on a train arbitrarily except 10 find places for additional men, that such legislation would have its effect upon discipline in making the railroad men bigger than their superior off, cers. that the additional man asked for on Q train would not enhance the safety of a train. As against the bill further he said that the addition of a
 
 mean a divided responsibility and in stead of the railroad getting two men s attention it would get half service of TWO men which would be q bad condi- ion
 More Men Would Breed careiessness-
 He believed further that increasing the number of men would make for carelessness on the part of train crew, and the hazards would be increased through an important duty not being done because one man would think it was being done by another, the ele- ment of personal responsibility being Iessened-
 On the financial side Mir. Bardo said he believed the cost of the extra man which would amount to $500, GOO a year would be better expended in the pub lie behalf by improving material con ditions which now exist.
 Stonington Wreck Due to Negligence.
 Mir. Bardo replied to Coroner Phelan by saying that the reports of the In terstate Commerce Commission and the public utilities commission do not point out or say that the express when wrecked was undermanned. On the contrary they found that the wreck was due to causes which could not have been prevented by having had an additional trainman on the crew. In the Stonlngton wreck also to which Mir. Terry referred last week. MT. Ba-do pointed out that this was caused directly by the negligence of mem her of the crew and it was not due to the lack of an additional man as de- manded by the bill.
 Would Increase Accidents to EmpIoyes
 Mir Bardo further said that the in Etslla1ion Of new signals between New Haven and Springfield was due to the negligence of a member Of the organ ization which is advocating the bill and such installation is not due to any lack of the additional man on any train Mir. Bardo said he found that conditions had not improved in rail- roading in Pennsylvania since the full crew bill had been in force. He vol unteered the opinion that an increase In the number of men in a. train crew increa sed the number of accidents to employees This led Mir. Terry to in quire if upon this hypothesis Mir. Bar do believed that the less number of men employed the less number who would be killed and injured and Mr. Bsr5o said he did.
 Could Handle Freight with One Man.
 This led MT. Bardo to give some ,.1 his own experiences in handling freight trains with one man and he said he was certain that he could go out on the road and handle a freight train, setting of, braking train and pick ing up with one man, with just as much safety 10 all concerned as with 9 crew under the bill. He said that crews were made up in accordance with the work involved and not as MT Terry thought was the case, with as few men as possible.
 MT. Terry spent a considerable time in questioning in order to bring out the conditions Under which a train crew would work under various con- ditions. but MT Rardo who was quick in replying frequently told Mr.. Terry that he would answer all questions asked if they related to actual cases but he was not EoiIg to give answers 10 supposed cases
 Most Accidents Due to Negligence.
 Mir. Rardo laid in lot of figures from various reports of railroads to illustrate what be termed human falli- biiity in the work and to show that q great percentage of the accidents to life and iiInls were due to negligence Of the employees themselves. He main tained that this falli5ility shown by Inc reports would not he lessened in any way by mere asing the number cf men cn a train
 EeAtamin SDock for the railroad