The Portland daily press., 1900-07-19
CIGARETTES UNDER A BAN.
The Rock Island Railroad Bars the Use
ofThem by It's Employees.
(From the Chieago Tribune. }

There is no place in the service of
the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific road
for the cigarette smoker. An embargo
has been put upon those addicted to the
habit. 1t win be the policy of ths system
that no person who smokes the weed viii
be employed, and those who are now in
the roads service and who are cigarette
smokers will be given the option of quit
ting the one or the other. It is not the
disposition of the executive officers to
temporize on the question. The edict has
been made and win be strenuously en-
forced. This is the first time that rail-
road company has adopted such a course
against the cigarette. That the expert
ment viii be eagerly watched by other
lines has already been manifested, for
other roads are contemplating the sa me
action should this prove a success. So far
the results have been encouraging, con-
sidering the fact that the new order of
things has only been in effect few
weeks. All who apply for positions on
the road are asked if they are addicted to
the cigarette habit, and if the applicants
answ er in the affirmative their applica-
tions are consigned tosthe waste basket.
Though no general order has been is
sued by the road with reference to the
matter, it has been tacitly agreed upon
by the executive officers to make the test
of an applicant on this question, and no
matter how proficient he may be in rail-
reading, if he uses the objectionatle Gig
arctic. he cannot break into the Rock Is
lands service with a crowbar. At the
foot of every application blank issued by
the road there is printed in q rubber
stamp this question. do you smoke
cigarettes?' The addition was made
about q week ago. Prior to that time
and since the adoption of the rule the
examining physicians and others who are
connected with the examination OF the
applicants merely put the question YER
bally to the person seeking employment
in the service.
''We want to discourage cigarette smok
ing among our men, ~ said President w.
q. Purdy in discussing the action. "Cig
arctic smoking is vicious habit, and
tends to befOg the mind and makes one
listless and careless in the discharge Of
his duties. Experience has shown that
the confirmed cigarette user is sleepy and
OF no account; he becomes Irresponsible
and lazy. In the railroad business, and
especially among the tralnmen, 1T re-
quires q clear brain TO discharge the re-
sponsibilities. The Rock Island road
will employ the best men Obtainable,
men strong of body and head, for the
work exacts much and absolutely requires
sound persons. We are always looking to
the improvement OF the service, and l be-
lieve that the action taken with reference
to the poisonous cigarette will accomplish
a good purpose.
General SuDt A 7. Eitt was the first
suggested the solution of 1t so far as it
related to the railroad, and this sugges-
ton came to him after long study Of the
effect of the vicious weed upon the hui
man system, augmented, of course, by
the Judgment OF ths most eminent physi
clans In declaring the cigarette to be in
furious, Some weeks ago Supt. Hit was
in company with Supts. Stillwen and