Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-12-19
FIGHT OF A MAN WITH A RAIL
ROAD

BY JOHN A. COLEMAN.
The road has no personal luminosity against
Won, Mr. Coleman, but you represent the
public and the road is determined to make it
wrong, that they will stop it, We are not
going to be attacked in this way.-Rdilrodd
Official.
Unfortunately for the great army of
those who go 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 It's liberties. The corpora
tions 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
to exact: the equivalent for the iare
shall be taken by the passenger in such
manner and st such times as pleases not
him but the, railroad; the voucher for
the money it has received-the ticket
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 it is more to their taste, to punish
offenders against their rules upon the
spot than to 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 in a scufhe, 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 barbarism of the railroad must be
carried out, and none but juries seem
to recognize the improperly of the pro-
ceedings in a9court OF law. 'a
About four years ago | purchased a
ticket from Providence to New York
via Hartford and New Haven At New
Haven my business detained me until
too late in the evening to resume my
journey by rail. I therefore took the
eleven o'clock boat in order to pass
comfortable night and to be able te
meet my engagements the next day
That Left the railway coupon ticket from
New Haven to New York on my hands
afterwards had no opportunity to use
the ticket in the direction in which i
was marked, always happening there
after to travel with through tickets from
Boston to New York. In returning t,
Boston from New York, June IL, 1868
1 applied at the Office of the New Y orl
and New Haven railroad in Twenty
seventh street, New York, for tickle
to Boston ma Springfield. The ticke
master refused to sell me one unless
would wait three hours for the train
which left at three o'clock p. M, goin
through to Boston. He said he woul
sell me local ticket to Spring 6eld, an
could buy another from there to Boz
ton. This would cost more than ST t
Boston instead of S., the regular throug
fare, which of course / did not want {
pay. told him expressly that wishe
to stop over at way station one traI
To do some telegraphing, but withot
avail he would not sell the ticket. As
could not wait three hours, thought
would be good time to use up my Of
coupon, as | was accustomed to doupo
other roads under similar clrcun
stances. Accordingly. presented th
coupon to the guard stationed at tn
entrance to the cars. He rudely an
imperiously refused me admittanc