New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-19
THE RAILROADS BENEFITED
Full Crew Law Saves Lives and Decreases
Damage Claims

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: It would seem appropriate to enliehteh
The Tribune as TO the real meaning OF tne
full crew law. In plain language, the KUN
crow means but one man. Prior 70 the en-
actment of this law trains of eight ten and
in some cases twelve passenger cars were
sent over the road with conductor ana
fagman. besides the engine crew, and some
times baggageman. In case OF breakdown
the conductor was the only available man 10
make repairs and 10 do other things neces-
sary in such a contingency, as the hagmah
must protect The rear OF his tram immediate
ly upon stopping The rules state that bag
pageman. if there is one, must not leave MS
car. The engine crew have no responsibility
behind their engine. With this full crew law
in oneration what do we find? Simply that
q head brakeman, whose salary is $3.50 for
twelye-hour day or a distance of of 1j5 miles,
is added TO the crew. His duties are to regu-
late the steam in the cars, help the conductor
in collecting transportation and look after
the comfort and convenience of the travelling
public. This is given merely as an illustra-
ton of the necessity for having this man on
the trains.
On freight trains the law is slightly differ
emit in that there are no baggagemen IN TINS
service Prior to the passage OF this law a
freight train consisting of from sixty to
hundred or more cars had, besides the engine
crew, a brakeman, conductor and hagman.
With the law certain trains have middle
brakeman in addition to these.
| personally know of case where the union
sent a request for another man on certain
train, which was refused, not only once but
several times. On this run 1t was necessary
TO switch cars on steep grade, and the track
curved between the switch and the engine
making it necessary for the conductor to
transmit the brakeman's signals to the en-
gineman. while the brakeman was compelled
TO cut and ride every car, in addition to
throwing the switch for every movement.
Such conditions, happening many times daily
throughout the state, became obnoxious to
the trainmen. and they sought relief from
such reckless treatment from their employers.
As to the Public Service Commissions hand
ling these matters, permit me to call your
attention to the fact that the majority Of
these bodies are composed of men who have
absolutely no conception of the manner OF
running railroad. If the Governors Of the
different states will appoint practical rail-
road men to fill these positions instead of
warm personal or political friends, the train
men will no doubt entertain the PROPOSE ton
you mentioned
If The Tribune will engage in little retro
spection il will find that all measures dcs
tined to protect the lives OF the workers on
the railroads have been greeted with the cry
that finances necessary to meet the require
ments of such proposed legislation are not
available perhaps mean bankruptcy
FOR some smaller roads. Up to the present
time statistics fail to show this condition be-
coming effective. For example, the safety ap-
planes act. the national siXteen-hour law or
the nine-hour law for telegraphers. Instead
of these laws working a hardship on the
roads, they have proven beneficial to them in
decreased damage claims and in increased eff
fciency due to shortening Of the hours Of
labor. p. ".
Rocky Hill, N. j., Feb. 6, 1917.