The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-11
SERVICE ON COLUMBIA TAP.
Complaints Listened To by the Commits
son--Matter Not Cor cluded.

Complaints Listened To by the Commits
son--Matter Not Cor oluded,
Austin, Texas, December 9.--The com.
mission took up and considered the mat
ter Of a complaint made 10 It respecting
the service performed and the facilities
afforded by the international aud Great
Northern railroad company for the trans
portatIon Of passengers between points on
its Columbia branch. aud redui--lg said
railroad to operate It's line on published
schedule of separate passenger train
each way each day Oh said branch.
Letters were read by the secretary Of the
commission from patrons of the said road.
making serious complaints of the service
now afforded by the road.
Mr.. I. W. House Of Houston stated IN
a letter to the commission that the ser.
vice ON the road was as good as the busl
LESS would justify.
Mir. Andrew DOW Of Houston coucurred
III Mr.. houses statement.
M Leroy Ince addressed a letter to
the commission showing the schedule of
the road, and that the service was as
good as the business justined
A long petition from people living along
the route. enforcing the complaints made
against the road TOR inefficient and unsut-
! lstactory service, was read.
Judge A, a. Masterson OF Augleton ap-
| peoreu before the commission, represent
! ing Complalnants.
'lhe condition OF the road was this
/ They charge US first class fare from all
! points on the route to Houston: the tram
! Is stopped AZ all stations to unload freight;
| the engine Is sent OF to plantations lcuv-
! lug the people exposed The schedule is
! Tour ana half hours from Houston to
| columbia distance Of fifty miles As
| 10 the business done by the road | know
| If personal knowledge that the road cnr
! rles an average Of sixty passengers each
| dAy' an paying nrst class fare. Our people
IGei that the road is not treating them
! rlHht. II rctards the development Of the
country, People who wish to Invest In
! property VIII not do so because of tbr
uncertainty OF the service. The road pro
| poses To run on schedule, but the trains
| are never on time As to freight ! do
not know what the tonnage is but / do
know TINT the freight trains are long aud
! II Ia to be presumed the cars are loaded
with freight OF some kind"
commissioner Mayheld stated that the
| commission had power to require the road
to run q given distance In given tine.
but doubted the power Of the commission
10 NIX schedule or to saw the service
should be exclusively passenger service,
Commission adjourned until 10 o'clock
, tcrnutioual officials.
Mr. ID. j. Price Of Palestine general
| passenger agent Of the International and
Great Northern Railway company, repre.
sented the road, saying In substance: "Our
defense Is a short one, ! have statement
showing the operation Of the trains on
lut Nhlulupld plhuCu Tor Twelve months,
This statement is certified TO. understand
Judge Masterson numbered the people
handled by the rond at sixty per day. Many
Of these did not ride the entire length of
the road, The business of the road is
light, and the service better than the bust
ness lustidcs. have never received any
complaint OF this service. The business
OF all short branch roads is light, and the
service on the roads, OF COURSE on the
basis Of the patronage The complainant
say the train does not run on the schedule
and 1t is always behind time, Only few
times during the year did the train drol
behind, Tho Compiainauts also say the
passenger train is allowed TO stand on the
track and the engine sent OF to the corr
plantations This has been done but not
since the 9th Of September The road
now has separate engine FOR this work
] can give you list Of branch lines which
will show concusiyely that the service OF
the Columbia Tap Is 0s good MS any. II 4,
operated on a schedule at fifteen miles aT
! hour To show the commission how fai
J the complaint goes, I viii say the notice
OF this hearing was the first intimation
had ever had that the service Is not salts
factory. l had never heard SO from tbs
people,