New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-11
COMMON CARRIERS.


of this State still continue to be controlled
by prejudice and timidity rather than
gratitude to their chief benefactors or the
real interests of their stockholders. Ihey
suffer the senseless and unfouhded
bigotry of one class of people to lead them
to commit acts which are unjust and In
convenient to another
We have two cases in point. One that
of Senator Pinchback, who wished to send
his family North in one of the Pullman
cars attached to the Jackson railroad
train. and the other much more aggra-
waited, of the refusal of the New Orleans,
Mobile and Texas Railroad Company to
permit Messrs. Antoine, Geddes and john
son to return to this city from Mobile on
their cars, after having carried them over
there.
In the first case, Senator Pinchback has
brought suit against the jackson Railroad
Company for 5000. But we learn that
the company pleads in defense that it does
not own the sleeping cars That it has
committed a very important part of its
duty, as a common carrier, to other and
and irresponsible parties, who claim and
exercise the right to deny privileges of
convenience and comfort to portion OF
the company's passengers, which they are
glad to sell to others. 1t is barely posi-
BILE that, in strictly legal point of view,
the Jackson Railroad Company discharged
its duty to Senator Pinchback's family
when it offered to earn the money paid for
passage by carrying them in the ordinary
coaches of the train. But as this would
involve change of cars at Canton, an
other at Humboldt, and We know not
how many more before they reached
Louisville, it promised to entail upon the
women and children who were about to
travel several hundred miles, without a man
to assist them in looking out for their COM
fort, to endless anxiety and consequent
fatigue, they could hardly be said to be
admitted to the privileges demanded by
and accorded to ordinary travellers.
And the jackson Railroad Company
must be held morally responsible for
permitting the Pullman car owners to
monopolize business which they con-
duct to the prejudice of the traveller on
the road For we must not lose sight of
the fact that the jackson railroad was
mainly built by the money wrung from
the people of this city and State. And
for this great boon the people are entitled
at least to accommodation and respectful
treatment when they are able and willing
to pay for it. And these privileges should
be cheerfully and promptly accorded. 1t
looks to us like subterfuge to whip the
devil around the stump by throwing off
upon the owners of the sleeping car the
responsibility of the shortening. At
word from President McComb these gen.
try could be persuaded to remove the
obstacles, for they know very well that
in case of refusal to comply they and their
sleeping cars would be left behind.
But if what we hear of the conduct of
the New Orleans and Mobile road be true,
they committed a greater outrage than
the other company. They refused to per-
NIT three men to return to New Orleans
who had been permitted to visit a neigh
boring city on the companys cars. This
company has received bonds and valuable
franchises from the State, estimated at
several millions of dollars, to assist them
in their attempt to make money by carry
ing passengers, freight and mails. The
State alone has done enough to build all
the road the company has now completed
and in running order. And yet they
deny to three citizens members, we
believe, of the Legislature who voted
the liberal subsidies, the most ordinary
even when the price of
passage is offered to be paid.
If the men who now mismanage these
roads believe they are acting for the in
terests of the owners, they err in their
Judgment SO widely as to render them
unfit for their positions They are in
f1icting fatal damage upon their best
interests, besides rendering the company
liable in heavy damages. With what
grace can President Raynor come before
the Legislature next winter to ask for
further privileges, after he has permitted
his employees to be discourteous to the
peoples representatives, in the persons of
Messrs Antoine, Geddes and Johnson. If
he people consent that their money
hall be taken to build a railroad, that
private corporation may reap the pecu-
nary benefits, they have a reasonable
light to demand the ordinary privileges
If travellers, if they pay for them. But
f these roads are to be built at the ex-
oense of the whole people, merely to be
.un for the convenience of a portion, it |
s time to consider the propriety Of stop
ping the supplies.
HOPE FOR FRANCE.
The alacrity with which the people of |
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