Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-07
Riding on the Platform.

From the New York Tribune.
The latest published volume from the Court
of Appeals reports two lawsuits brought by
persons hurt while riding on the car platforms
In each case the company commended that the
casualty was the passengers own fault. for he
had no right or business to be riding on the
platform. and in both the court decided in the
passengers favor.
1t seems, then, that platform riders have some
rights In one OF the cases the car was q pass
en9er car of the New York Central road, trund-
ling along one of this citys streets. when a
''street Arab" caught at the steps, climbed
upon the platform, and sat down to enjoy d
stolen ride. Thus the company had the benefit
of the good point in railroad law that the how
had not the rights OF a fare paying passenger,
but was mere trespaSser who might lawfully
be put off the train at their pleasure But the
boy testified that brakeman kicked him off while
the car was running about ten miles an hour
and that he was badly hurt by the fall The
court said that person stealing ride NAV be
put off the train by the cOmpany's servant but
that this must be done after stopping the train.
and in manner to avoid doing any unnecessary
injury. The cOmpany's lawyer argued that If
kicking the boy Off while the car was running
was unlawful, then 1t was not to be supposed
that the company had instructed the brakeman
to do it, but the man himself was the one to pay
damages. The decision was, however, that
ejecting trespassers from a train ia one of the
duties Of conductors and brakemen, and that
the company is responsible for the manner in
which they perform it.
In the other case the car was street car In
Brooklyn, and the passenger hurt was q grown
man who had paid fare. There were vacant
seats inside, but he rode upon. the front plat
form because he wished to smoke. Neither
conductor nor driver objected to his doing 80:
bat by some negligence Of the driver the pas
senger was thrown off and hurt. The company
produced the common rule posted In the street
cars: Passengers are forbidden to get Oh or off
the 'front.' platform" etc But the judges said
that this did not forbid their riding there, and
that. II it was customary, as witnesses declared
it was, for smokers to ride there. and the con-
ductor took this passengers fare without re-
curing him to go inside, he had the right to
consider that the company permitted him to
ride where he did.
The Real Profit Entirely Overlo oked.
From the Wall Strest Daily News.
Baltimore nan who bought him a farm two
or three years ago was recently approached by
friend who had some money to invest and who
asked:
''Can bu. pretty fair farm for SIS, o00a"
eyes. about that figure"
And I'll want to lay out about $40, 90 in
improvements, presnme1"
eyes, fully that"
stock7"
81 think You can"
And 5000 more In grading. filing up. Gre
atlng fish ponds and 20 FORTH"
well, you may get through with that sum. !"
That's $1,000 and now lets figure the in
come"
"Oh, you don't need pencil or paper" said
the victim, as shade Of sorrow darkened his
face. 1.-The income will be about eS for tnrs
nips. % for pOtat0ea, e5 or s. for corn. and a
bull calf or two at So head To ave time
call 1t S25 I'll see you again In q day or two
Maybe I've forgotten something which viii add
dollar more Morning to you"