The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-19
THE GATE BILL.


an Buments FRO and Con Before the
judiciary Committee.
wv Orleans Times Democrat.
y laton Rouge, La, June $50 large an
"a andance was attracted to the special
y ieting of the judiciary committee of the
9, hse, section A. called TO consider the
"A &c bill introduced by Mr.. lie Blanc, that
IS y meeting was held in the senate cham
+ y. General Passenger Agent s. II. Is.
! mrs., Managers Assistant Fay and Adj
I. NUsing Agent ii. NJ. Mayo, representing
y q Southern Pacific, and Mr.. Lee OF the
" Nksburg. Shreveport and Pacific railroad,
Nre present in opposition TO the bill and
te senate chamber was well filled with
. lteners. 1t was $3.50 O'Clock when Mr.
[ aiDorne called the meeting to order The
, ll PROMPTS the detention OF passengers
J the entrance OF passenger coaches by
cans OF gates or gatemen under penalty
IA iine OF $40 TO 500 Mr. Marks moved
amend by adding that the bill should
l " apply to gates at the terminals of the
tiroads. The amendment was lost Some
iinor am ndnents to perfect the bill were
, resented and adopted. Mr. lie Blanc, the
, producer of the bill. took the floor to ex-
Hahn his measure. He said it was right
or the railroads to protect themselves but
lhey should not cause annoyance and in
convenience to the public. He told how
Treasurer Fournet had been obliged 10
Ping for chance to show his ticket lie
Idld not think tnat the gates protec ed the
company from dishonest conductors and
Igatemen. He asked if it had been effect "a
lin this way.
| General Passenger Agent s. f. B. Morse
mace splendid argument, backed by sta
| tistics, in opposition to the bill and In
| FAVOR OF the gate system He said the u'll
attacked the company's charter isht to
| regulate its business. The system pro-
| tected the company's revenue, enabl I'll 1t
| to maintain its schedules and was a safe
| guard to life.
He quoted from the argl q mt Of Mr..
Charlton of the Chicago and Alton before
the Missouri railway commission in 1898.
The use of gates on English railways wGs
carried much farther. In England one is
locked in his car and can not get out WITH
out permission of the guard 1t would
| bankrupt the American railroads to dop.
the complete English system. The opposi-
ton 10 the gate system had originated with
thu class known as drummers, and they
| were the prime movers in this opposition
TO the system, as shown by the statements
OF Mr.. Johnson, the chairman of the leg
| islative committee of the 7. p. A. He
toid OF the effectiveness of the gate system
in preventing frauds and ticket scalping.
Mr. Morse declared that the same spirit
of opposition had been manifested against
|
lie told Of how the frauds OF a certain
class had been discovered by means of a
; SIP OF paper. There had been many de-
} vices suggested to protect the company. but
r the car gate system was the only practic-
p able one. The argument that the system
was reflection on the honesty of railroad
70 lemDloyeS had been made Was the street
= Far register reflection? With the gates
he people in the cars were protected from
10 he rowdies who congregate at all the
~ epots and went in and out OF the cars,
l. iailng satchels and drinking up all the
'h ~ water He quoted from accident in
suance companies to show what pro-
te1on the system is to life and limb He
S q W., OF ZoV accidents which occurred on
w. 1alisads through the absence OF the gates.
rs nel had been 39,9S4 persons killed and
u IuJurd on railroads. and it was fair to
assuii, that 10 per cent of the accidents
of Wo'e Tie to the absence of gates. He cited
ns me me oae OF the little Battalora girl, who
), ieli lrtn the Louisville and Nashville
:. ram an was killed. He was applauded
L When esaid If one such life was saveI
es me systes was justified.
s, MI more told of some laughable causes
ir iol opposition to the bill. He said the
A. statement hat the people were compellei
"a ~ "ait iron hve to fifteen minutes was
p'eposterous 1t would shatter schedule.
II such were he case.
whit 49,, seu the number of roads
$ Mhieh mad thesystem He said in 1909 ~
number of tickes sold on the Sontharn ~ pns
clne was SiO,6s6 in 1897 there we're Al, .if
n N SOFA, Inc cash IRE had been reduced FROM,
s Sl',VVo 10 szs,o0N Four hundred children
: m"u peen made 20 purchase tickets whr
IT wouIu Otherwise have ridden fr1r. He told
W cue ehecuVehess If the gates in prevent.
;. road. avn peatihS tht
a Ihere were number OF gentlemen ,ivlno
5 along the line OF the road who wera rrns
. e,' anu were called ulon for an EXPRESSION
I, z, opiuioh' ihese gertlemen had come r.
y Saton Rouge at the invitation Of Mr.
u ''o " 70 10 speak In favor of the system
Il bs ~ Dusoh OF crowley said the people In
Us section were beginning to visw tha
gaze system as a safety pneasurs to ~. we
d ioaus' me travelling public and The cnnd',c'
w, ne mad with him petition fram
prominent residents in his town who ta'
n Vored the system. "Ao Ia
n Hnons the other gentlemen who smoke
& Era ,asol u the system were: Rev. VIM. q
s Of IRA ~ rat,Srson' Mayor L. B. Tarleto-
a Meuo OF Rayne, c. O. Mouton az I,atavo.,.
a AZ. -, i'iigan OF Lake Charles. j. r loliy
e'', Ui, OF the Morgan City Review pr
~ wise OF Morgan city. DR.. N NJ .
Maiayette, Mr. ]. p. Russell OF Nav 'I 49,, o'
SUI, No. ., Z; bass, merchant of Morgan CIV
paa..,- nsslstdnl ray OF the Sou,bar,
aeinc road told OF the workings ~ ~
em ,c system and the rules under which th s
{ :, SENATOR W E. Howell of I,afoprch. ,,he
~ ll'es ON the Southern Pacific rairosd sn wn'
~ favor OF the LaBlane bill He said 9r ,en.
ahs mssa on the Southern Pacific ana hsd
: observed the gate system, which was ma mau
sEsaliy condemned by the peop,a q, ~ III,
ssssuon' In my opitNrn." said sen.. ~,
t toNeli the gate system is nuisan'
'fen every standpoint"
! MI vincent of the lower house so,s ).
people OF caicacieu were opposed ~ .s'
system He declared it was the sou NJ ons
isv,ne railroad against the people
Mr La Blanc closed debate h,, a..,.
ing mat he had but little else tn saw ~
, nau seen several gentlemen In ths ~. aS
~no were ready to testify against tbe no 1as'
system. These men. he said -han sas'
oeen brought to Baton Rouge on u no
Ear and treated royalty. He smoke =. sp so,,s
,uns.n and with considerable bmmor SUM-
nut euin en-, being concluded, the public W M
, cided - =, me room, and then Il was de-
tomorrow morning. uHni ~ O'Clock