The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-27
TRAVELLING RAILRoADERs.
Sunset Conductors Were Passing The
over the Road

Sunset Conductors We're Passing Them
over the Road
report calculated to do the officials of
tho southern Pacific an injustice as well
as to place the Sunset in a very unpleas-
ant attitude With other roads. If allowed
to pass unheeded, has been going the
rounds TO the effect that the Southern
Pacific recently abolished its habit of CIV
ing passes 10 unemployed railroad men,
and that a great deal Of hard feeling has
been caused among some of the employees
of the transportation aud motive power
departments OF the company.
\ San Antonio paper devotes some little
space 10 an article in which II states that
petition from conductors ana brakoomen
was recently filed at the general offices
of the Southern Pacific in Houston, asking
the company TO abolish all passes. The
strangcSt part OF the story. however, rs
given in an interview with "a prominent
passenger conductor" on the road. who is
quoted rs saying:
'grhe new order issued will cause great
deal of ugly comment from employees on
foreign roads. as II has been the custom
of officials I'm the past, through courtesy,
to extend transportation to any man VINO
Possessed a travelling card. and since tnis
custom has been abolished ] expect az
employees of the road who want 10 VISIT
their homes in another State or In search
of employment Will have hard row 10
hoe when they strike another ROAD
II Is not now, nor has IT over been tne
custom with the Southern PuciNc oihclas
10 issue passes or free transportation 70
unemDloVed rairoaders or employees OF
other roads This 'hahit' has been CON
fined TO the conductors and by them aloAe
exercised. without the consent OF w ~
many. Conductors have been honorinS
Working cards Of ex-employes ana Vu.
nlovcg of other roads in passing tneIh
over the road, and this practice grew =,
such mn extent that the ofhcials issu'u
in structiops to conductors and trainhch
n,Itttn.- a stop to carrying persons on thelr
ir,fns NOT provided with tickets or other
Iogai TRANSFORMATION. This Is the order
v,6ich evidently has suffered consideraple
lnt, INSTRUMENTATION and the unfouhueu
rcc,orts circulated anent its assurance,
Manager Van Week Of the southern IA
ci,ic when seen yesterday by POST re-
porter regarding the matter was very
much amused at the pecuissaf in'N Sa ss had
20 which the true tacis oi we N"-
hecome involved. 49, 10
"Ne do not now, nor have we ever
sued masses 10 emploNes or eN-cnip,oEu "
ofbSr roads" said Mr.. Van Week; ana
the idea Of us issuins an 20 oru trnth nf the
water is that conductors have been car.
rvine these men on their trains over r,t ~
rad on their own responsipii'y' NJ
~, l,natr this we had no idea or the
" ,,o,,nt of this traffic until an inveStlga-
,Ion revealed that the practice Wa , n,ins
fnd,,teed to an Alarming extent Nhrn
10 issiIe two or three passes 10 onl -,
Moves and their families year; sxnecf
W. Thai is all they can conAstiy eNpert
~. ~ Tor IL Is not reasonable 10 eA
,,act maj we were going 10 allow me Iu',
d,,ctors 10 exercise more authollAS osrr,,
,ha ofaciels Of the company anu 49,
a,,ery Tom. Dick and Harry, VINO ciai'i'en
eNeIN u,orked on q road in Maine or
s 20 -" other place at pleasure over our
lines"