Apeu, 18, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



589 



Freights to the amount of two thousand 

 millions of dollars are annually collected 

 by the railroads on weighings made with 

 scales, most of which are seldom tested 

 and, except in three western states, never 

 officially inspected. Numerous disputes 

 and complaints could be avoided if the 

 scales were officially tested and certified, 

 and if provision were made for retesting 

 on complaint. Certainly, it is as impor- 

 tant to test large scales as small ones, and 

 the cost of doing so is trifling in compari- 

 son with the enormous interests at stake. 



LOCOMOTIVE HEADLIGHTS 



Another subject with which some of the 

 state commissions have dealt is the kind of 

 headlights used on locomotives, their 

 candlepower and reliability. In some 

 states legislation has been enacted re- 

 quiring a, particular kind of headlight. 

 It has been charged that such legislation 

 in some cases has been inspired by com- 

 mercial interests. In one state the com- 

 mission issued a rule requiring a certain 

 candlepower, but not specifying how it was 

 to be measured or exactly what was meant. 

 The railroads, contending that the order 

 was ambiguous, impossible to comply with 

 by one interpretation and undesirable by 

 another interpretation, appealed to the 

 courts. After a lengthy and expensive 

 litigation the order of the commission was 

 set aside. This case is cited to illustrate 

 the need of technical information by state 

 commissions before issuing mandatory or- 

 ders, and also the hardship to railroads or 

 other public-utility companies to be ob- 

 liged to contest in the courts orders that 

 work a hardship and which would not 

 have been issued if full information had 

 been at hand. There is great need of 

 further investigation of the subject of 

 headlights for use on steam and electric 

 railways, to determine the best service that 



different types are capable of giving, and 

 to formulate rules that could be enforced 

 by the commissions. Some railroads econ- 

 omize unduly on the maintenance of head- 

 lights ; in the interest of safety to the pub- 

 lic, wise regulations should be in effect. 



CAR LIGHTING 



The lighting of ears (both steam and 

 electric) is another practical matter that 

 has not received the attention that it de- 

 serves. Most people read more or less on 

 trains and street cars, and with many who 

 ride a long distance to and from business 

 this is their best time for reading. As a 

 rule, however, the lighting of cars is in- 

 sufficient and the arrangement of lights is 

 often atrocious from the point of view both 

 of the passengers who are not reading and 

 those who are. Eyesight is too precious 

 a possession and too easily injured to jus- 

 tify the continuance of poor lighting of 

 cars. Better light is required than would 

 be necessary if the cars were not moving. 

 The problem is different on electric cars 

 from what it is on steam cars, because in 

 the former the current for lights comes 

 from the same circuit that supplies the 

 motors, and hence great variations occur 

 due to the fluctuating voltage on the trol- 

 ley wire. To secure better lighting, (1) a 

 steadier voltage should be available, (2) 

 better lamps should be used than are gen- 

 erally seen in electric cars, (3) a greater 

 quantity of light should be available and 

 (4) the lamps should be so shaded and so 

 located as to keep the glare out of the 

 eyes of the passenger, and yet give good 

 illumination for reading. The immense 

 importance of this subject can only be 

 realized when one considers the millions of 

 people who daily spend considerable time 

 in steam or electric ears, and how much 

 better the service would be if the cars were 

 pleasantly and sufficiently lighted. The 



