The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-31
RAILROAD NEWS.
Dogs to Be Checked as Baggage
on Railroads.
Hunters Likely to Raise
Storm of Protest.
RAILROAD Is LIABLE.
Owner of Dog Now Has PrOtec-
tiOn For His Property.
Story of the Dog Which " Com
mitted Suicide"
SUNDAY.

Chicago Aug. S1.-Dogs are to be
checked as baggage on the western
railroads at the same rate as bicycles
and baby carriages. Instructions to
this effect have been given by the exec
utive committee of the Western Pas
senger association to the general bag
gage agent OF all lines, who have been
meeting here for several days for the
purpose of adopting uniform rules re-
garding baggage.
With one or two exceptions the rail-
roads have not charged anything for
the transports ton of dogs in baggage
cars The plan TO classify dogs as ex-
cess baggage is likely to raise a storm
of protest from spOrtsmen and others.
If the hunters take concerted action
they can compel the railroads not to
put into effect the plan for increasing
their revenue by charging for carrying
dogs 1t may be that some Of the rail-
roads viii not agree to checking dogs
at excess baggage rates.
Il should think II would be a great
mistake for the railroads to charge for
carrying dogs said one prominent
passenger official ITO exact a fee for
carrying a dog would make US respon-
sible for any loss or damage to the an
imaL We would soon find that every
dog that was hurt or killed on the train
was exceedingly valuable A worthless
cur before entering the baggage car
would be transformed into a beast with
a pedigree a mile long and worth sew
eral hundred dOliars@as soon as an ac-
cldent happened to it on the car. So
long as we carry dogs free we can do
so at the owners risk, and he has 10
see that the dog is fed and watered. If
We asked excess baggage rates we
would be bound to deliver a dog in
good order and condition at destina-
tion-would have to feed and water it,
and the owner would not have any of
the trouble I think the plan to charge
for transporting dogs would prove
much better for the owners Of the dogs
than it would for the railroads.
we DO not charge for hauling dogs. but
lot ions ago We had to pay $50 for one
another passenger OFFICIAL THE bae-ga %
man made the rope fast to a stanc6ion ii
the car, as usual and thought the dog
would be all right A few minutes later
the dog was missing. It's rome led to a
car door At the end of the rome hung
the dog, dead The rope was lust long
enough 70 let that dog jump out of the
about concluded we would have to nav q
good price to The owner of the dog. when
that fellow believe that his dog deiiber-
arely committed suicide9'
lhe idea struck all of us a being a
good one. and a letter was sent to the
owner. expressing our surprise and regret
dogs master had some ideas Of his own
He thanked MS for our expressions If ra
X cA dt HIS loss DlE begged to assure as
that we had done an injustice to a noble
destruction
90 I was on the most friendly terms with
that dog, he wrote. and m ureDared tn
make an AFFIDAVIT that it had no reason
Tor committing suicide Its domestic rela-
tons were happy. IT had suffered no fnal1
cial reverses. was in the best of health
and had every reason for wishing to live
think your company should Contributes
about $50 for the benefit of its sorrowiney
progeny
I'VE sent the dogs owner a check for
VOC, concluded the passenger agent.