St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-17
THE BxGGAGEMAsTERS.
Their Business Session ConcIudeo
Excursions To-Day.

The Association of General Baggage
Agents reconvened at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
morning with President Marston, in. the
chair. Minutes of the preceding meetng
were read, and then new and diminished
business was taken up.
communication from J. c. Nlcholace
of the Missouri Pacific asking for the
opinion of the convention on several I'M
portant points relative to pro-rating CLAIMS
on concealed losses, c. o. ID. collections,
transfer charges, ETC.. was READ.
Questions were taken up in regular order
and discussed, bringing out many polnts Oh
interest to all present. Several resolutions
were offered by different members III Iela-
ton to improved facilities for handing
business. This matter took up the rest OF
the forenoon.
The meeting was called to order again at
$50 o'clock and many subjects were intro
duced for further improving the work
ing of the railroad baggage department, the
most important matter of which was the
HANDLING OF BODIES
on passenger trains. 1t is now the custom
of different lines to receive bodies for trans
portation when accompanied by a certificate
from attending physician, stating that the
party died of no contagious disease.
1t has occurred in many cases that physl-
clans have from some cause or DINER,
probably to accommodate the parties send
ING the bodies, given these certificates,
although death was caused by diphtherla or
scarlet fever. There have also been brought
to light bodies of which death was caused
by smallpox, offered as baggage, certlned
to by country physicians as scarlatlna,
thus making the risk of carrying BODIES
very great, unless protected by something
other than a physicians certificate.
A great many bodies are shipped that are
partially decomposed and emit an offensive
Odor. These bodies have to be carried by
train baggagemen in their baggage car, ana
ofttimes the stencil from such Is so great
that the baggageman cannot stand IL, ana
besides is in constant danger, as well as the
other train hands, of catching some horrible
disease This matter having been put into
the hands of the convention, a committee
was appointed at the Boston meeting in
July last, with j. d. Marston, general
baggage agent of the Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific, as chairman, to ascertain
the best means to overcome this trouble.
The committee, after much hard work and
patient research on the part Of the chair
man, discovered what is believed to be the
best appliance yet discovered for this pur-
pose. The matter has become one OF great
importance and the state boards OF health
have been in constant communication with
tie baggagemen to adopt some means
whereby the transportation of bodies dead
from contagious diseases could be stopped.
TIE COMMITTEE REPORTED
that il had found great diversity in rules in
force on different railroads and in different
states concerning the matter. and that it
had discovered an eificaciuOS appliance in the
shape of an antiseptic sack made of rubber,
which is air tight and in which the casket
can be placed. The committee recommended
the adoption of the following rules:
FirSt--The transportation of the bodies
of persons dead Of smallpox. Asiatic
cholera or yellow fever, shall be absolutely
forbidden.
Second-All other dead bodies may be
transported provided they are encased III
an antiseptic interment sack. Theoretically
sealed, in addition to being in a coffin, and
this inclosed by tight wooden box.
Third-Eyery dead body must be accom-
panied by certificate of death, from a
physician or board of health. and written
certificate from the shipping undertaken,
that the corpse has been pre-
pared for transportation strictly in
accordance with Rule No. ,.
The committee further recommends that
form of certificate be drawn out which both
the physician and undertaken will be re-
quired to fill out. which will make ii an i'm
possibility for them to Smuggle bodies dead
from contagious disease into baggage cars
for transportation, without leaving them
selves open to prosecution. The report was
adopted.
This concluded the business before the
convention, and the usual resolutions of
thanks were adopted previous to adjourn
ment.
1t was decided to hold the next meeting
at Cincinnati next January.
THE EXCURSIONS.
To-day the association will visit Mime
tonka make tour of the lake, lunch at
Hotel Lafayette. do Minneapolis by car
rage and return in the evening to St. Paul.
On Saturday they will go to Fort Smelling
and Minnehaha by the Milwaukee q St.
Paul road, and leave for their respective
homes Saturday evening. Yesterday Gen
eral Freight and Passenger Agent Dodge
gave the ladies of the party an excursion to
White Bear lake, and Alex Canick. who
by-the-by is Il ladies' man. acted as chief
usher. Last evening a progressive euchre
party was given in one of the Ryan parlors
by Mrs. Phillips, Mrs. MarstOn and Mrs.
Wilcox. and most enjoyable evening was
passed by those who participated.
CONCERNING BAGGAGE,