The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-12-20
FIGHT OF A MAN WITH A RAIL.
ROAD.
Ely JOHN A. COLEMAN.


The road has no personal animosity agains
you, DIR. Coleman, but you represent thu
public; and the road is determined to make i
so terrible for the public to fight it, right o.
wrong, that they will stop it. We are no
going to be attacked in this way.-RdilrOdC
Official.
Unfortunately for the great army Of
those who 60 up and down the land
upon railroads, the public has been so
busy in this new country that it has un.
Willingly permitted the railroad men to
steal away its liberties. The corpora
tons promise to construct and operate
roads for the convenience of the public.
This promise is broken at the start.
The public convenience is not consult.
ed. The public is informed that the
fare shall be just what the road chooses
20 exact; the equivalent for the fare
shall be taken by the passenger in such
manner and at such times as pleases not
him but the railroad the voucher for
shall be good for this day only"
"good FOR this trip and train only"
good for six days after date" etc
That is, the road will keep the money
and render nothing in return except
upon its own conditions. The roads
also say they will redress their own
grievances. They deem it less trouble.
or 1t Is more to their taste, to punish
offenders against their rules upon the
spot than 10 seek the remedy prescribed
for private individuals in like circum.
stances. Accordingly the comfort and
tranquility of peaceful passengers are
rudely broken in upon and their lives
endangered by brutal assault upon an
offender IN car. Pistols are sometimes
drawn n a scufiie, and innocent people
are as liable to be shot as the combat.
ants ladies' in delicate health may be
put in sudden peril through fright; but
The barbarian of the railroad must be
carried out, and none but juries seem
to recognize the improperly of the pro-
ceedings IN court OF law.
About four years ago | purchased
ticket from Providence 10 New York,
va Hartford and New Haven. At New
Haven my business detained me until
too late in the evening to resume my
journey by rail. | therefore took the
eleven o'clock boat in order to pass
comfortable niQht and 10 be able to
That lef. the railway coupon ticket from
New Haven 10 New York on my hands.
/ afterwards had no opportunity to use
the ticke, III the direction in which it
was marked, always happening there
after TO travel with through tickets from
Boston to New York. In returning to
Boston from New York, June IL, 1868,
| applied at the office Of the New York
and New Haven railroad in Twenty,
seventh street, New York, for a ticket
to Boston viz Springfield. The ticket
master refused to sell me one unless |
would wait three hours for the train,
which left at three o'clock p. m., going
through 10 Boston. He SAID he would
sell me local ticket to Springfield, and
could buy another from there to Bos.
on. This would cost more than 81 to
Boston instead of Sc. the regular through
are, which of course | did not want TO
pay. | told him expressly that wished
stop over at way station one train
o do some telegraphing, but without
wall he would not sell the ticket. As
'ould not wait three hours, / thought it
would be good time to use up my old
eupon, as | was accustomed to doupon
Their roads under similar clrcum.
tances. Accordingly ! presented the
oupon TO the guard stationed at the
ntrance to the cars. He rudeIy and
nperiously refused me admittance,