Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-23
LAWS FOR THE RAILROADS
Bills Which Will Tend to Diminish the
Number of Damage Suits.
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE RICH
Measures that Provide Punishment
for Obstructing Traffic, Entering
box Cars and Climbing
Upon Moving Trnins.

There Is undlsguised pleasure among rail
way officials in this city over the introduc.
tion into the state legislature yesterday ol
three bills, the intent OF which is to di.
mnish damage suits against the railroad
companies of the state. The three bills
were introduced by Representative Rich OF
this city. and it is hoped and really thought
by some of the Omaha railroaders that they
will become laws. u is no secret that the
bills were drawn up By attaches of Omaha
railroads.
The import of the first bill is to prohibit
the obstruction of railroad business. 1t is
modelled after a statute now in force in Kan
oas. where the law has been found to he Of
real benefit to the railroads and to shippers
and passengers. Punishment is provided
for the violation of the law proposed.
The second bill is aimed directly at the
American tramp, and should 1t become a
law it would seriously interrupt his travel
in the favorite box car. 1t provides punish
ment for persons who enter railroad cars in
the night time. similar law Is in vogue
in Wisconsin. Under the present laws Of
the state a man who breaks open a car,
either to gain a ride or for the purpose of
stealing, can be brought out of the car but
he cannot be punished unless he has been
seen to break open the car Or been observed
10 steal lTOH the CdI'
The third bill is to prohibit persons from
climbing upon moving railroad trains and
cars. Punishment is provided for persons
who seek this means OF transit The bill is
fashioned after similar one in operation in
Missouri. This bill is of the greatest in
terest to the local railroads because of
the number of people killed each year while
stealing rides between Omaha and South
Omaha.
Speaking of the latter bill yesterday
a Union Pacific official said: THE passage
of this bill would be Of the greatest benefit
not only to the railroads here, but to the
people who travel between Omaha and South
Omaha to their work each day. Many of
these people have for years been in the habit
of stealing rides on the trains running be-
tween the two places. Our road, the Bur-
lington and the Rock Island have had scores
of people killed and damage suits instituted
Just because the people thought stealing
rides was the easiest way to travel between
here and South Omaha. During the past
few years on an average of between six and
eight people have been killed in this manner
annually"
Another railway official said: "All these
bills are good and should become laws. In
the states where they are in force, especially
In and around Kansas City and st. Louis,
the people wouldn't give them up for any
thing 1t is true that such laws would save
the railroad companies many damage suits,
but they would be of real benefit to the peo'
pie There is just one other provision that
should so along with these, but was not
introduced. l think therS should be law
making it unlawful to walk, on railroad
tracks 1t is really pitiful the way in which
people who walk the tracks are run down
by trains and ground to pieces, but it is inn
possible to stop the trains in time to prevent
the accidents and fatalities, which are clearly
due TO the recklessness of the pedestrians.
1t would be more humane to arrest such
people and fine them $25 for walking the
tracks than to allow them to continue such
practices with fatal results"