The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-03
GUNTERSvILLE DEPOT
RAILROAD COMMISSION ISSUES
 AN ORDER.
Nshville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Must Build-The Matter of Gem eral Waiting Room Accom-
 mediation is Postponed

At meeting of the Alabama Railroad Commission held yesterday morning al the capitol an opinion was handed dowr by the Commission ordering that rail road station be built by the Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Company for the accommodation of the citizens of Guntersville. The matter oi requiring railroad companies to maintain depots at certain stations to meet the requirements of a decision recently rendered by the Supreme Court was post poned until December 18th.
 President John V. Smith and Commis- sioner W. c. Tunstaii were present at yesterdays meeting. Commissioner A. E. Caffee of Birmingham steiegraphed that he would not reach Montgomery until this morning.
 It will be remembered that President Smith went to Guntersville on September soth where he heard evidence and argu- ment in the matter of building "a new depot there. The order issued yesterday by the Commission was the result of this hearing.
 It is ordered by the Commission that the present depot in Wyeth City be removed to a plat of ground in Gunters- vile donated by Robert N. Bell and T. l.. Farrow. This plat of ground Is within one hundred yards of the public square in Guntersville and is. in easy access for the public. The plat of ground lies on the west side of the railroad tracks. It is further ordered that the depot shall be twenty-five feet wide and 100 feet long with sufficient waiting rooms for the comfort and accommodation of passengers. with separate waiting rooms for negroes and whites and that an adequate freight warehouse be maintained. The order specifics that the waiting rooms shall be heated and lighted and otherwise main- tained in such manner as will meet the necessities of the travelling public.
 The Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway Company Is given ninety days within which to comply with the order.
 After the meeting President Smith was asked about the proposed order concern- ing the recent decision of the Supreme Court relative to general accommodations in all railroad passenger stations. MT. Smith said: ..
 "The matter of issuing an order re. uuiring the railroads in Alabama to main tain depots under Section 345i of the code to meet the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Page against tht Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com. pany was postponed until Decmeber 18th When this order Is made it will only cover Sucn Btdtlons. AS ATe CoiiAIVhcu die operated by the railroad and where ths business at such stations will justify tht Keeping of an agent. This order wher made will require the railroad companiei to do by law what they are already doing voluntarily.
 "The Supreme Court has held that nt duty Is imposed upon railroad companies to maintain depots in towns of less thar 1000 inhabitants by the Railroad Com mission. The order is not made for thu purpose of requiring the railroads tt overhaul or otherwise change their pre- sent depots, but simply to have then maintained under the operation of Sec tion 3451.
 "The clerk of the Commission is com bling the necessary data to enable thu Commission to take steps as are propei in the premises.
 The case before the Supreme Cour | to which Mir. Smith refers grew out o | an alleged lack of accommodation afforded the public In the railroad station a | Evergreen. Mrs. Page claimed that sh
 was required to await two hours for
 delayed passenger, train In waitini room which was not heated. Her healtl
 was impaired and she sued for damages | The court ruled that the Railroad Com
 mission had not specifically ordered tha | the waiting room at Evergreen should b | heated, consequently Mrs. Page lost tn
 suit.