St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-11-29
VOLUME 36---NUMBER 1914.

asked the Judge to charge the imy. that
if the plaintiff had tendency To hcInia.
or amy physical disability that vas Iia
/ bic to he increased by Violence the
/ plaintiff ought to have informed the
employees of the road and failing in
/ that, he, and not the road. WAS rcspon-
>lhlc for the consequences. According
/ T." the railroad theory. therefore. if Il
gentleman is attacked by Il Scoundrcl.
unless the victim gives IL complete dag
n"SlS OF his condition to the rrIt1ian. he.
and not the villain who struck him. is
responsible for consequences when his
skull Is broken. To obtain the opinion
OF the supreme court of Massachusetts
upon this important point has taken
twelve months more. but ! am happy
to he able to state, that at last one point
Is established 10y the Ma>sachli>ctt,
courts III favor of the rights of railroad
Passengers. namely, that it is not nccr>-
SarN Tor Il man to inform IL rufiiamll
aggrcSS"I what his grandmother died
of. nor to describe his hereditary Svmp-
toms.
Mr.. Coleman. therefore. has his vcI-
diet of S:5OO, and his opportunity 10
tell some plain truth about our courts
and railroads which he does not fail to
improve.
Mr.. Coleman ais" talks about the
needed reforms in railroad management
thus Srn>ihlv:
First. that he fares should hc uniform
and at reasonable rates. SAY two cents
per mile. II II l. necessary for Il new
road To receive Il higher rate until it
shall he upon Il paving basis. allow il
an excess and limit the time during
which an excess shall hc charged: uI
else pay the road subsidy from the
state funds. upon the principle on which
poor post routes are maintained. keep
ing the rates low. and inducing thereby
an influx of settlers who will eventually
support the road. second. when Il
tir>t-cla>> fare is paid. Il iir>r-cla~> pass
age shall hc given in II comfortable ear.
with such appointments H. the law shall
specify: polite and kind treatment It"
hc required from employees. and the
comfort and convenience of passengers
to he assured. ;i> we'll H. the safety OF
life and limb. When Il person j. taken
i'll charge 10y Il railroad. hc must lc de
HNcrcd III good order at the end of the
journey. mdamagcd IN feelings and
person. a> he WAS received. Third.
when Il dollar is received for travel from
Il passenger. the equivalent of that dol
lar shall Ice returned in travel not ac-
Cordin~ To the caprice of the rompamN
hut according To equity and Justice. and
the reasonable demand of Il passenger.
F"uth. in all c:I>r> of disagreement OF
of wrong doing. the road shall be com
PEELED tu cuntiHc itself To the same
peaceful means of redress a> an indi-
NIdUal. and cause arrests only 10y rrgu-
lar authority appointed 10y law. unless
the Offender hr guilty of obscene or in
decent conduct in the car. or commit Il
ur>Pa>> upon life and property. The
present mcdiTNal system of harharitN
IN the summary treatment of paS>cu-
gers must give place t" something in
accordance with the cnligI.tmcnt of the
nineteenth century. The railroad COM
panicS must he made aware that the
travelling pHhlic is not composed al
cattle "l sheep nor are they in ANY >clI>..
the natural prey of the companies. bur
human beings. entitled Ia considerations
;l> such.