Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-08-23
From the N. Y.%Journal of Commerce.

W hen the over modest aud tlmld American
people stand up for their rights on railroads
/ they will have less cause to complain than at
present. Railroad companies adopt a multi.
tude Of rules and regulations to facilitate their
own business and increase their own profits,
utthey care very little for the security aud
the comfort of passengers. If any person will
! take the trouble to read the official placar1s
hung up in horse cars, he will see that they
give directions which iuure almost solely to
the advantage OF the companies. There are,
IN some cars, elaborate instructions about the
mode of collecting fares These are no, in the
least for the benefit Of travellers, but to guard
against cheating by conductors. The public
are asked to put their money into a mysterious
trap, and are expected to watch through a lit
tie glass widow aud see it fall into it's recepta
Gle. This Is trouble and bore to passengers.
La fact they are doing the company's business
and saving Tor rich corporation the expense
Of an extra man. In other cars there are an
uouncements that the conductor has sclf-reg-
i>tering punch with bell attachment, AMI
every tlule he collects fare he is required To
punch hole III loug strip ticket pinned to
his coat, aud at the same time the apparatus
which he carries in his hand cmits feeble
tiukle. The company theory is that pas>eu-
gers take il profound interest in this tedious
mechanical operation that they watch the
conductor with jealous eyes and, if he fails to
punch hole for single fare collected, will
rush off and report him to the superintendent
| This would be utilizing passengers as detectives
or spoilers, but We doubt whether many persons
with business OF their own to look after would
volunteer to play those parts for the railroad
companies. Other regulations prohibit paSSen-
gers from standing on the platforms and get
ting on or off the cars while in motion, but
these are put forth with a view to protect com.
panleS against suits for damages by persons in
jured when violating the rules. For it will be
noticed that passengers are. in fact. treeley per
United to ride on the platforms and to get on
or off the car while it is moving Indeed, only
Il determined effort will obtain entrance from
the platform uto a crowded car and still
greater display OF energy and patience is neceS-
sary TO bring the vehicle itself to full stop
I while the passenger aIightS. These may seem
Sulall matters, but they Illustrate our PROPOSE
lion-lhat railroads are managed too much for
the benefit of the companies and too little for
the safety and comfort OF the passengers. If
the latter were the objects. the companies
would put on cars enough TO afford seats for all
passengers, aud not force them to ride on plat
iorms if they would ride at ALL Several of the
large aud important railroad lines of the coun
try are mana sed but little if any, better, though
We may hope that some recent decisions OF the
courts will have the effect OF making the com
panies more civil than they have been. Such,
at least. was the result noticed in New I nrk
train huui West some days ago. Twenty
three nIcn lamoug them long headed lawyer
found themselves on train where all the seats
were taken. Under the lawyers advice they
agreed not to give up their tickets or pay
their fares till seats were supplied them.
The object was 10 force the conductor to
hook on an extra car, as he should have dope
at the first opportunity. If the conductor had
had but Que obstinate man TO deal with, he
might have thrust him of the Car: tut twenty
three were not 50 easily disposed Of. Ga the
same train was palace car The admission to
which was by extra fee. The conductor >uy-
geSted that the twenty.three could 90 lut0 that
gorgeous vehicle by paying the required sum.
But to this they dcmurrcd. incxorabiy insisting
on seats at regular rates Finally the eonduc-
tor got over the trouble by inviting twenty
three other passengers into the palace car. and
giving their seats l. his troublesome CUSTOMERS.
The courts have decided that a passenger may
uccllue TO pay railroad fare until proper accom-
modatonS are provided for him. But such is
the shrinking. accomplishing nature OF Auer
cans that they will suffer Almost any amount
pluvees. rather than make a Wholesome fuss
and demand their rights If all railroad travel
erS would be equally as pertinaclOuS as those
tweuty-thrce. the companies would be sure TO
furnish cars enough Tor all passengers. Two
other interesting questions, We believe, have
been settled by certain State colirtS within u
recent date One is, that ticket sold for
given distance on any line. is good for
that distance for at least six years. The
railroad companies sell tickets stamped with
the date OF sale. and good for this day
only TIE courts hold that these tickets are
good for any day. with the exception of excur
sion tickets which are sold at reduced rates,
and are in the nature of special contract 1t
would obvious! y be Understandable and unjust
that a passenger should forfeit his ticket mo-
nny because by i'll health on other accident or
circumstance he was prevented from taking
train on particular day. The rule, like all
the DEGREES OF railroads, operates solely for the
behoot Of the ompany-Slmplify the con
duet Of lis business and supplying security
against traul-but Is not in the slightest degree
beneficial 10 the traveller, since II does not even
secure to him seat unless he has the courage
10 refuse To surrender a ticket until he has a
seat. \ B stou court lately decided question
some of the particulars Of which are doubtless
familiar 10 our readers \ gentleman bought
u railroad ticket from New Haven to New
York but did not have occasion to use it on
the trip for which it was purchased. He sub
Sequently offered il in payment OF fare from
New York to New Haven The rate OF fare
was the same as that in the reverse direction
and he could see no reason why the ticket was
not good for the trip. His able argument on
that point to the conductor was summary
answered by his being put off the car. Hence
q suit for damages. brought in Boston court
which decided that the ticket was good from
| New York TO New Haven. and awarded the
substantial balm of $500 damages Thus
we perceive that the courts are ready TO take
suitable views of the rights of passengers and
the duties Of railroad companies: and if the
travelling public do not work a revolution in
the present management Of the railroads, the
| fault will be their own.
MIDSUMMER CCSToNs An English paper,
commenting 90 the trighttul mortality from