The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-07
TO PROVIDE
 FOR PUBLIC Railroads Must Bulletin Trains at All Stations. ORDER ISSUED YESTERDAY Commission Has Power to En- force the Law Must Maintain Comfortable Waiting
 Rooms-Action Made Necessary
 by Recent Decision of Supreme Court.
ORDER ISSUED YESTERDAY

The Alabama Railroad Commission, at | a meeting held yesterday. issued an | order specifically requiring all railroad companies doing business in Alabama to provide adequate waiting room accomoda- l tions for passengers at all stations where agents are employed and to conspicuously bulletin the time of the arrival and departure of all passenger trains. The State Supreme Court has recently held that a railroad company is not liable l for damages incurred through lack of such accomodations unless the railroad company has been instructed by the Railroad Commission to provide these accommodations.
 President John V. Smith and Associate Commissioner W. C. Tunstail of Greens boro, were fin attendance upon the meet ing of the Commission yesterday. As- sociate Commissioner A. F. Caffee was detained at his home in Birmingham: The full text of the order Issued by the Commission is as follows:
 Whereas, the Supreme Court Of Ala
 bama has heretofore held in the case of Page vs. Louisville and Nashville
 Railroad Company. 9 Southern Reporter,
 page ST. that no duty to establish and
 maintain a comfortable waiting room at its stations for persons purposing becom- ing passengers on its trains. rest upon any
  of said railroad. or by A statutory regu- lation. or by some other authorization conferring the powers upon railroad commission to impose the duty" and whereas Section 345i of the Code of Ala hama confers authority on the Railroad Commission of this State to require rail | roads 10 maintain sufficient sitting or waiting rooms. suitably heated, etc, for | the comfort of passengers, 1t Is therefore 1 ordered and directed that the (naming l the raiiroad) corporation doing busi- ness under the laws of Alabama, at each station named below. shall maintain on l the line of road operated by said cor poration "a depot. with sufficient sitting | or waiting rooms for passengers waiting | for trains. having regard for sex and race, with sepaarte rooms for white and | colored passengers, which rooms shall he
 suitably heated in cold weather. for one l hour before the schedule time of the 1 arrival of any train carrying passengers | and for one-half hour after the departure | of said train. and supplied with sufficient l fresh drinking water. when passengers | waiting for trains are present. and with sufficient and comfortable chairs or seats: and connected herewith suf- fcient number of comfortable privies or water closets to be at all times kept l clean; and in a conspicuous place at such | station. bulletin board showing the l schedule time of the arrival and depart | ure of all passenger trains. and when | there is telegraph office. if any passen- ger train is delayed. bulletin must be | posted in conspicuous place at such | station, showing how much the train is | behind its schedule time. and continue 1 to post such bulletin each half hour until | train arrives and at all said stations such | railroad company shall keep the platform | and approaches thereto suitably lighted | when necessary for the accommodation | of passengers, for one hour before the
 schedule time of the arrival of any train 1 carrying passengers. and for one-half hour after the departure of said train. | Provided, that the duties of this act as to
 heating and lighting the dcpots and post | ing bulletins as to schedule time shall
 not be required of the railroads. as to | fast trains that only stop at these sta | tions when Jagged.
 Stations are as follows viz: (naming
 the stations). Provided. that railroads
 may maintain union depots at any sta
 ton where the convenience of the public | will thereby be best Subserved.
 It Is further ordered and directed that 1 copy of this requirement. be served
 upon the agent of the said railroad and
 spread upon the minutes of the Com mssion It is further ordered that the l several railroad companies shall have ] l this order.
 Done at the office of the Railroad | Commission of the State of Alabama, this | the 9th day of January, 1902.
 l In discussing the order President Smith i of the Commission said.
 | This order does not impose any new | liabilities upon the railroads: neither does | il require them to do more than they are supposed to have heretofore done at 1 all stations where agents are maintained. | The order has been made necessary by a
 recent decision of the Supreme Court
 referred to by the order, The order 1 covers each station in Alabama where
 railroad agents are maintained and the l names of the stations will be specified
 in the copies sent to the railroad com l panies.
 So far as is known the railroad com l panies make no fight on the Commis-
 sion making the order"
 The decision of the Supreme Court
 alluded to by the order and by President
 Smith was in the case of Mrs. Page
 against the Louisville and Nashville
 Railroad Company She sued for dama- | ges on the ground that she was forced 1 to wait in the station Of the railroad
 company at Evergreen for delayed | train. There was no fire or other con l veniences in the station and she con- | tended that her health was impaired. The l court held that in the absence of specific l order to the railroad company to furnish
 these accommodations to the public the
 complainant could not secure damages.
 TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY l druggists refund the money if it fails to cure 1 ' W. Groves signature is on each box. 25e