The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15
CIGARETTES UyDER A BAN.
The Rock Island Railroad Bars the Use Of
Them by Its Employees.


There ia no place in The service Of the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific road for the cigarette
smoker. An embargo has been nut upon
those addicted IN the habit. II will he the
policy Of the system that no person who smokes
the weed will he employed, and those who
are now In the roads service and who are cigar
cite smokers will he given the option Of Quit
ting the one or the other. II Ia not the DISPOSE
ton Of the executive officers TO 10 mpori2e
on the question. The ediCt has been made
and will he strenuOusly enforced. This IL
tho first time that a railroad company has
adopted such n course against the cigarette.
That the ex experiment. will be eagerly watched
BY other lines has ALREADY been manifested.
for other roads are contemplating the same
action should this prove a success. So far
ing he fact that the new order Of things has
only been in effect a few weeks. All who ap-
ply for positions on the road are asked " they
nro addicted 10 the cigarette habit. and II the
applications nre consigned to the waste basket.
Though no general order has been issued
has been tacItlv agreed upon by the execu-
tive officers 10 make the test OF an applicant
on this question. and, no matter how prof.
Client he may he In railroading, II he uses the
Objectionable cigarette. he cannot break
into tho Rock Islands service with a crow
bar. Al the foot Of every application blank
Issued nv fha ROAD there IA printed IN n rubber
stamp this question. "Do Won smoke cigar
cttes?" The addition was made about a
week ago. Prior 10 that time and since the
adoption Of the rule the examining physicians
and Others who are connected with the ex-
animation of the applicants merely. put the
question verbally to the person seeking EN-
p'oS ment IN the service, r., .
ing among our men" said President ". q.
Purdy IN discussing me action. tiRarette
smoking Is 2 vicious habit, and tends TO be-
fog he mind and makes one l~istless and care
less In the discharge 81 his duties. Expert
once has, shown that the confirmed cigarette
H rrerp rs s'1se' an nd' ls .! n" I s'G ,Ss rat hr Ss'S S1.i.
ness. and especially among, the trainmen.
II requires a clear brain, To discharge the re-
sponsloiii,les me focs Island road will
employ Inc beSt men oD,aihable, men strong
OF BODY ana heau. lor me WORN exacts much
ana ah-oluteiS REQUIRES sound persons. We
are 4 always LOOKING 10 me Improvement Of
the service. and ! believe that the action taken
with reference 70 the poisonous cigarette will
~acGompl5n a good pqInose
General Supt A. hitt was the mrs, to tackle
tnis propiem " was ne VINO suggested the
soiuti0h Oh " so II as " reiateu 10 the railroad.
and TINS suggestion came 10 him after a long
s iss human n, aDs SYSTEM s | al aus sns H.siou Of w cesG.s upon Sn
the uusment OF me most eminent physicians
In declaring the cigarette to be injurious, Some
s Ssess age StiI Sl wpII h and was nd y company With
divisions OF the Rock Island system. They
were investigating the actions OF an employee
" NE .ouu WIN reverence 70 q matter which
was under consideration at the time. when they
overheard a conversation between two other
employees commenting upon the same Ques-
ton. The latter were censuring the man who
was under investigation. In the course OF the
discussion one OF them remarked that the fault
Of the whole business was due TO cigarette smok-
Ing and that the man IN question was a con-
firmed cigarette fend.
The comment impressed Supt. Hit. and he
made comment upon It to the other two officials.
They then discussed the matter with the re-
suit that n week later the embargo on cigarette
smokers was placed and instructions were so
issued verbally to the superintendents and
physicians who examined applicants for EN-
ployment II was also made retroactive, 40
as to cover those who are already In the service.
These will be given the opportunity TO quit the