The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-23
THE PUBLIC AND THE RAILROADS.


THE PUbLIC AND THE NAIbNOADs
70 the Editor " The Post.
Syracuse n. y, July 6, IS9g.---As n faithful
reader Of the ne wspapors OF Texas, have fel
my sympathies excited again and again by TIL
re- rts OF the drowning u many people 2
the state In the extraordinary floods whcl
| have inundated much OF our territory al
| well MS by the stories OF distress and suffering
caused by these catastrophes which have beei
| Drought about by causes generally attributed
| TO Providence Nobody can read the harrow
| ms accounts OF human beings hemmed in ~,
the relentless waters and slowly perishlng TO
! ire want or that succor which. though in plaif
sight, perhaps, can not reach them, without
| thrill OF horror: while the loss OF homes ant
81 property, which In many cases represented
| tnc all OF the losers, can hardly be estimated
from the standpoint OF It's real magnitude ant
slgnincance: but ! must confess that In read
ing these daily accounts one query has oh
truded Itself on my mind which does not hav'
a satisfactory explanation, and that u.s. why
should there not be one little grain OF sym.
patty expressed for the railroads, which hav,
also suffered very serious damage, caused by
the. destruction OF their roadbed trcstles and
bridges, which means enormous loss, not alone
IN tho renewals which will have to be made
but In the stoppage OF traf6c7 | am modest
owner OF few securities In railroads In
Texas, though an officer In none of them and
In no way concerned In their management, ex-
cent as security holder. but when | sec
couragcously lighting against the elements on
their own behalf, but doing all In their power
20 relieve distress for humanitys sake, feel
as IF one voice. at least. ought TO be raised In
sympathy with the railroads OF Texas, without
which the State would be wilderness, and
with which she Is an empire. Truly yours,
Frederick Blossom.
The Post has, from day to day, chron-
icled the energetic and humane service
that the Texas railroads have been doing
In behalf OF the afflicted people in the
stricken sections, since the great food
came upon us and swept away so much OF
property and life. And attention has been
called to this service in manner to ex-
cite the popular admiration and public
sympathy for the roads.
With their own properties destroyed to
the extent of thousands of dollars In value,
their schedules broken and their vast
business and interests seriously dlsar-
ranged, they have yet found means for the
transportation free OF charge, to the suf-
ferers. of all kinds of supplies. have car
ried thousands of stricken people out OF
tho pathway of the food to points OF
safety and have been among the most
active and willing, II not. indeed the most
active and willing, agents In meeting the
far as 1t was possible for human help to
do so.
And 1t happens to be n fact, as all will
remember that on the occasion OF every
great calamity, whether in Texas or else
where, the Texas roads have come nobly
and generously to the front with their
offers OF assistance in the transportation
people Whenever the general public has
done It's part the railroads have been
equally sympathetic and humane. For this
the Texas lines are entitled to all honor
and. as suggested, in the present instance
when they themselves have sustained such
pathy of the public.
There is no antagonism between the CON
sentative, thoughtful masses of the citi-
zens of Texas and the Texas railroads.
The roads have been the chief instru-
mentaiities in building UP the State and
have just again, as on many former oc-
casions. demonstrated that while they
may strive as all other business agencies
in times of prosperity and fair weather
TO make all the profit possible on their
investments. they are equally prompt in
seasons of storm and disaster in seeking
to soften the hard lines upon which the
people have fallen and add their powerful
aid in helping the victims OF misfortune.
1t Is but justice to the roads to say this
much, and such incidents as we have re-
fcrred to, occurring from time to time,
ought to bring the people and the railways
closer together.