The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-11-10
AID
WHITEWASH OF
Big RAILROAD
Prosecutors Make Joke
of Their DUN Laws

aided by the city officials and
the states attorney In its at
tempt to win release from all
blame in the troIIey-train wreck
which killed ten people a week
ago.
Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci G. M. Doty and First Assist
ant States Attorney Charles
German cleared the way for the
release of the railroad by testi-
mony that the ordinances VIC
lated were impossible to comply
with.
Albert Does Fade Out.
"The ordinance passed in 1898
which requires all railroads to ele-
vate their tracks over grade crossings
is not regarded seriously because Of
it's impracticability," German told the
jury.
Alderman Arthur Albert, who be-
came quite excited on the first day of
the inquest protecting the interests
of the public" by demanding that the
railroad be held responsible, has not
been in evidence since, having evil
IDENTIFY been suppressed by higher-up
politicians.
Former Governor Edward Dunno
made it his task to bring to light all
the numerous ordinances violated by
the railroad, which was Immediately
followed up by the city engineer and
states attorney who testify that
these ordinances are impossible to
live up to-"
G. D. Hill, engineer for the board
of local Improvements Of the city of
Chicago, who has charge of all track
elevations carried on in the city, told
the jury Of fat capitalists that it would
be impossible to elevate the tracks
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
railroad on the grade crossings at
Kingsbury st. and North Ave-, where
the tragedy occurred, without elevat-
ing the whole switching line along the
river. This, according to Hill, would
be impossible" He apparently meant
that the railroad could not be induced
to carry out this safety construction
because it would eat into their pro-
fits. Hill revealed sAat ''the city is
going to the expense of several million
dollars to go over the railroad tracks
where they cross Ogden Ave-"
Doty Aids C. M. G. St. p.
Assistant Corporation Counsel c. M.
Doty, also gave testimony to aid the
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul rail-
road. He told the jury, II have never
seen an ordinance requiring the eleva-
ton of tracks except the general or
dinance referred to-" German produc-
ed Doty as witness. The states at
torney's men and the corporation
counsel evidently went thru the en-
tire history of city laws, for Doty pro-
duced an ordinance passed June 12.
1872, allowing the Chicago, Milwaukee
G st. Paul's predecessor, the Chicago
e Pacific railroad, to lay tracks along
Kingsbury st.
w. f. lngraham, towerman, Brahe's
superior, testified that Brahe's salary
IS S6O.92 per month, and that some of
the towermen are paid as low as $500
per month. He admitted that it was
practically impossible to get good
men to work as towermen at these
wages. Ingraham admitted that the
lanterns used by the Chicago, Milwau-
kee & st. Paul railroad did not comply
with the ordinance requiring a bril-
liant and conspicuous light on the rear
OF car when backing. He mad never
heard OF the ordinance.
Admitted Violation Of Laws.
Colonel C. s. whiting, superin-
tendent of the Chicago terminal of the
Chicago, Milwaukee G. st. Paul rail-
roads, admitted that he was violating
the ordinances prohibiting the switch
ing Of trains more than 20 cars or 700
feet long. Whiting said he had never
heard Of these ordinances. When ask
cd why he did not break the train
causing the accident, which was IS
cars long, he said, 1T would have in
terfered with our work"
~ H. hVensOn, superintendent Of
transportation for the Chicago trac-
ton lines, shed some interesting light
on the activities Of spoilers and Sc
cret service men in spying on the
traction employees. He told how hard
It Is to get a job with the traction
company, which pays VIGOROUSLY low
wages. I'VE grade the applications OF
men applying for employment A, d.
and G. We investigate the history and
references Of those graded A and b
and then call those we want for ex-
animation" said Evenson.
I'VE give the applicants a thoro
mental and physical examination. II
they pass that we send them to the
line division head for instructions.
There old experienced motormen and
conductors train the new mon for two
weeks. They are then sent to the
division superintendent for further
questioning and II he is satisfied, they
are sent to my Office. The applicant
Is then questioned either by me or one