The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 15 Jan 1880, p. 2

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<ed by the sympathy of, the people at -- large. He suggested that -- the ;plan adopted in BEngland should be brought into use here, us it entively ~did away with the barbarous practice of daving men run aloug the tops ot ireight --cars, even in winter and --after dark, Me xead a suggestion which had been mady to chim by a gentleman who, he said, was a «ecognized authority in railway mautters in both England and Canada, and whose name he hoped soon to have authority to lay before the llouse, _ 'This was that in --«each train there should be a brake wan in front and one in rear of the train, and in the case of unusually long traing, one in the middle. 'The one Aun front migi@t be operated by the meu on the cugine, and the others by men espec-- «claily sppointed for the purpose. Whats ever might be the resuit of the Commiitex's Anvestigation he was sure the Government would baye the support of members on both siaes of the Mouse in their effort to --extend greater security to rulway cm-- ployees in the discharge of their duties, «o the opinion, however, that they might indirectiy reach the desired 'o_u(l. But there were other difficulties, arising partly from our position as a Province, partiy from our climate, and partly from the way «our railways are worked, _ 'The cars of Aimericaun railways frequently passed over our lines, and it would be impossibie, by --our legislation, to reach these without materiably interfering with traflic, Lastses. sion bir. Wilis, the member for West Hastiogs, had a Bill on this subject relating to box cars, which he thought oug ht to be «constructes in such a way that the run. ning board along the top of box cars should be 21 feet in width, that an iron railing about 24 feet deep saould run .along one side oi it, and that the running board should extead over each end of the --«cars, so that on an up--grade they would not be more than a foot apart, Another sugyestion was to run a platform along «the sides of the ears, such as prevailed in England, and still another to coustruct a railing all around the top of each car, 'The brakemen themselves said that very feow .accidents occurred by men falling from the topse of cars, most accidents occurring -- while they were stepping from one car to another, All that they wanted therefore was that every car should be constructed with a sliding platform, which would ox. Aend across the spaco between iwo »care, and thus be a continuous platform --along an entire train,. 'The freight trains, however, wore frequently made up of both box and platform cars, so that thbis continuous running board could not be obtained, He believed that, con-- gidering the gravity of the question, this »Committee was necessary, It might be said that the Government should be pre-- pared to introd uce a Bill to meet the ditli. --culty, but no Governmeut ana no Honse «could be expecied to inaugurate reform of this kind without having heard the --evidence of experts in the maiter. 'The railway compamies would be called unon to make very serious changes in theit rolling --stock, and they should be hceard as weii betore any decided action was taken, Thore wus, further, the dauger altending the oc. --eupution of the yard--men, those who had to do with the shuniing and coupling oi «--cars, Some of the wmost frightiui acei. dents th@t he knew of had occurred trom men being caught in the " frogs" in the track, and run down, perhaps, in broad ~«daylight, _ There appeared o be lit. le difliculty in preventing this class of accidents; and hbe would ltke to have the views ot railway companies and their eimployoes concerniug the best meaus tor attaining this end . Mr, FRASER said he did not know otf --anything definite that had been arrived at. Mr. LAUDER observed that none ot Mr, MEREDITH said that in 1877 a Committee bad been appointed to inves. tigate this very question, but he had not been able to lcarn wnether their opera. tions hbad resulted in anything dedinite, Mr, MORRLS expressed satisfiction al the course suggested by the Muimister o Public Works in this question, _ He be. Aioeved the Governiment were acting wiscly in moving for the appointment ot this «Comumittce, and he trusted that the ques. tron wouid be thoroughly examined. _ He had no doult, whatever might be the --exact authority of this House in the pro. posed reforn., that they would be support. the suggestions made by the Commissioner | «of Public Works covered accidents caused | by the sbort distauce between the top of --cars and some of the bridges under which . 'they passed, He noticed that a mew car was making its appearance upon some of ' our roads, called a ! Reirigerator Car," which was a good deal higher than the 'ordinary cars, and a man standing upon .one while passing under a bridge was almost sure to be killed, He trusted this matter would not be lost sight of, "The motion was carried . NEW PARLIAMENT BULLDINGS, Mr, BADGEROW asked when the re. «turn to the Address of this House passed . pn the second of February, 1877, relative to the value of the present sits of the Parliamentary -- buildings and grounds, and the probable cost otf new buildings in the University Park, will be laid before ue HMouse, Mr, MOWAT said some representation 'Lau been made to him as to the ngcessitv of appointing new masistrates,but be could not say whethec a Commirsion would issue durine the session or af.er it, Mr. MOWA'L stated that it was the Intention of the Government to submit 'this and a gooddeal more information upon the same subject in asking the HMouse to decide upon the question of the erec. tion of new rarliament Buildings, mAGISTRATES IN S0OUIIL SIMCOE, Mr. PARKHILL asked whether it is the intention of the Government during the present session to issue a Commission of the Peace for the South Riding of the «county of Simcoe, Mr, MOWAT said some of the informa-- tion asked for was included in returns brought down in previous years. _ He suggested that the motion be amoended so as to cover the years 1878 and 1879 . The motion, so amended, was cartied. The House adjourned at 4:15, Mr. Crooks--Bilt to amend the Agricul. ture and Aris Act, Mr. HMay--Bill in respect to tile drainage. Ailso, Bill to amend the Municipal Act. Mr, MOWAT said Mr. Johnston had uot been dismissed, but had resigned in spite Of their strongiy expressed desire that he should remain, his intention being to enuter another profession. Bo dar from being in-- compcetent he had shown himself to be ex. ivremely well titted for his oftice, and the Province was very much indebted to him for the hbigh position the Agricultural leze now occupied, _ HMis resignation and the appointment of bhis successor being verbal, there was uo correspondence, The motion was therefore withdrawa, TLANSEER OF PRISONERS. Mr. MARCOURT moved for a return showing the nuimber of prisoners sent froin each county in Oatario to the Kings. ton Penitentiary, the Reiormatory, and the Asylum during tho years 1878 acd 1879, and aiso stating in detail the fees received by the sher.ffs of the counties respec'ively for the services in connection therewith, He thought tue expense of couveying prisoners and lunatics from the gaols to the Provingial prisouns and asyluims, _ which in -- some counties amouuted to as much as $70 or $00, miguat ve very much reduced, Me aiso thought the inequalities of the incomes of sherifls might in some way be overcome. Tue motion was carried,. RAILWAY ACCIDEN'TS, Mr, YOUNG moved for a return show. ing the number of acciJents which have taken place on Provincial railways during | ti¥e last five years ; the number of persons | killod or injured ; and distinguishing ; between passengers and;irailway employoes ; and specially setting forth the cause ot the accidents in each case, sCHooLn OF aAGRICULTUiQIS, Mr. WIGLE moved for Orders in GCouncil and correspondences relating to the dis. missal or ricsignation of Mr, Johnston, Principal of the School of Agriculturs, and to the appointment of his suceessor, He said his object was to loarn whetiher Mr. Juhnuston was dismissed or had resignued, Mr., Wigle--Bill to amena thre law for NOTICES OF MOTION.

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