Hi All

I am currently doing some research into some early Hours of Service law suits (prior to WWI) and I really need to see a copy of the law as it stood at that time. If anyone happens to know of where such a document exists and would direct me to it I would appreciate it.

Robby

I always understood that the federal hours of service came about because of the conditions of WWI railroading.

I'm currently reading a biography of Lewis Brandeis (lawyer and later U.S. Supreme Court Justice) and from it I gather there were very few limitations on work hours prior to WWI and those that were in effect applied to women and children.

The cases I am studying were brought before Federal court in New Mexico in 1916. One of the cases specifically mentions the possibility of appeal of the decision to the appellate court specifically to ensure this is the precedent the courts were going to follow. There were a couple of earlier cases sited so there is apparently other cases prior to WWI.

Robby Peartree

You need to read this:

@Book{Orr01, author = "Orr, John W.", title = "Set Up Running, The Life of a Pennsylvania Railroad Engineman", volume = "", number = "", year = "2001", edition = "", series = "", address = "", month = "", editor = "", publisher = "Pennsylvania State University Press", note = "", }

In this biography, a man devotes his life fully to the PRR, but sadly is thrown aside without benefits when his health fails. I believe this was before railroad retirement and disability.

Good book. It doesn't, however, have much that deals directly with the HOS law. O.P. Orr hired out in 1904, and it does have one chapter about him working round the clock continously for days about 1906 or so, and gives a glimps of the evils the HOS law was designed to prevent.

Hi,

The act in question was approved March 4, 1907, and is commonly known as the Hours of Service Act so it actually has another name. There are three preceding cases that I know of United States vs. A.T. & S.F., 232 Federal, 196, presided by a Judge Pollack, US v. A.T. & S.F. 244 U.S. 1175 and U.S. v. B.& O. R. Co. 242 Fed 1. So when I get back home I think there will be some searching to do.

Robby

Hi
While the following is not what you requested, it may contain some useful information "ICC Hours of service of railway employees. State statutes and related court decisions"
1909 (Publisher: Washington : Govt. print. off.)
http://tinyurl.com/yb89pt7

Ken