The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13
OF RAILWAY OFFICIALS
How the Government of Rail-
roads Is Made.
STORY OF ONE STATE
Where the Railroad Was
Made TO Come to Time.


so loud that we occasionally hear al
echo Of it to this day. and the phrase Ia
become conventional for expressing III
attitude which many wise or otherwise
people believe IS the mental habit Of tn
average railway operating officer.
Now, there is scant reason for think
ing that the phrase was ever used b1
this president; IT was probably ingenious
y designed TO represent the manner IL
which piece Of impertinence was re
buhed. and did not indicate. the manner
Of the statement at all. If it was used
II ought certainly have horne a different
Interpretation than the one originally
given and since attached 10 it. From
this point Of view is is strictly an &C
curaIe expression OF the feeling which
IS stirred in the breast Of an operating
officer By many OF the experiences that
form continuous performance through
his daily life. and cause him 10 suspire
IN language more forcible than polite:
For he is in position OF man who is
holding a nail which another drives;
the railway Is the nail, the public the
hammer. and his is the thumb which is
smashed when there is a misstroke. This
gives much reason, if not excuse, for
using the above-quoted phrase-which it
is not necessary to repeat.
But 10 SUPPOSE that a railway officer
can be Indifferent TO the rights Of the
public and retain his position for a great
while is sEblimely ridiculous. and IS only
exceeded in that quantity by the area
tkSt any railway president would be
insane enough TO give the slightest en-
enlargement TO a subordinate who might
allow such an impression to gain cur
rency. on the contrary, superintendent
is expected not only TO regard the rights
OF the public when acting Of his own
motion. bat 70 study its slightest whims
and like the successful politician. keep
his ear close to the ground Since there
IS sure To be trouble enough and to
spare. despite his most ingenious efforts.
the man who is really appreciated and
most apt to receive the thanks Of his
superiors is he who is least often the
object of public complaints or forced to
Assumed the defensive.
How this can be so is well illustrated
BY the experience Of a young railroad
engineer who was new to his work and
very innocent About a week after TAX
ing charge Of a division one OF his sub
ordinates. who was sitting on train
with him handed him a 'cattle-kiled'
report. with the comment that It was a
shame the way the fences were allowed
10 rot ana fan down. The engineer was
never able to remember in exactly what
words he responded. but it was some
thing TO the effect that he believed they
would he able to TX the fences all right
II he had been wiser or more experienced
IN SO public a place as a railroad pas
senger-car he would either have made
nght of his subordinate's remark; but.
as it happened his words were over
heard by the reporter OF local news
paper. and in a few days he received a
clipping which was forwarded from the
Office Of the General Superintendent. with
request for an immediate explanation (
The clipping read. 1T may be stated by
Mr.. Smith, the recently appointed engin- 1
eer of the River Division. that the fences (
along the line are TO be entirely rebuilt (
This viii be good news for the farmers
OF course, il was denied fatty. and that
ended the matter officially; but 1t cost +
the victim many an unhappy hour nor
did il end wholly there. for the clip
ping was copied al over the state. and .
was the subject Of some pungent com
ments by esteemed contemporaries who
were delighted to have a fling at the rail-
road.
Every railroad officer knows that one
OF the easiest things TO accomplish is
the antagonism Of the people along the
line; very small matters affect the rela-
tions-so small ia fact. that it is often
Impossible To indicate them. and their
existence is only known by the results
as manifested in local ordinances and
Jury trials. on the other hand. the es-
Of generous feeling toward
the. railways on the part u the public
Is the work Of years but il is a labor
Of love and Is worth all that il costs in
collars and cents and effort The SUPER
.nteudent who steadfsstly sets his face
towards this end will have many dis
he Viii ind tae mast of
the the cases upon which he is caIled
h judge involve some inclination IN get
more out of the company than private
person would be asked 10 pay. be VIII
IND that large proportion Of the claims
have scarcely any foundation-sone none
IT all And yet with all this acumulat-
% evidence, he must examine each new
,ase without prejudice and rs though
l. had not been preceded by thousands
II attempts AZ extortiou. This is a diff
ioult thing 10 do and the man who
las been through the mill and stiu re-
aims any belief IN the common honesty {
Y mankind Is something more than ,
human
Few people have ans. conception OF the :
larm which a railway suffers from an 7 z
n antagonisuc sentiment, it does not {
much sffect their traric because pas {
engers viii travel and freight must De Z
hipped whether the line is popular or Z
Unpopular But the emnity Greens into b
nd qualities every other relation. TO {
'et even somehow IS the watchword [
long the road. Town councils PASS en- y
arrassing ordinances restricting the C
peed OF trains within borough lines or Il
hey open highways across the road in a
be places where they VIII De as object r.
unable as possible. g they make ridicu- p
'us rules concerning The rinsi1g az bells I
nj blowing Of whistles, there are q
housand ways OF prosecuting the rail- q
Dad But they fade into significance p
eside The pin-tricls Of individuals and a
be attitudes OF juries gentleman n
auna. sooa after taking charge OF \