The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-23
Increase ...- ....................... H,ss

Three important railroad meetings were held in New Orleans this morning-tne New Orleans Passenger Bureau, south eastern Passenger Association ana Trans continental Passenger Association, hold- ing sessions at different places and each discussing different topics, says The New Orleans States.
 Naturally the most important of the three was the Transcontinental. ana m attendance upon 1t are some of the most prominent passenger men in the country whose voices have all to do with the conduct of passenger affairs East and West.
 The matter of most particular moment which will come before them is that of inaugurating interchangeable mileage tickets on all lines west of the Missouri. At present the roads permit the use only of their own mileage books and consid- erable inconvenience Is experienced by trayeiing men on that account There has been such a great increase in travel that the roads now consider 1t advisable that the interchangeable mileage ticket be used and instead of travellers carrying around half a dozen books. but one will be necessary If the method is adopted. The matter is now in the hands of a committee which Is due to report at this meeting, and as both the railroads and travelling public are in sympathy on the matter, there Is very little doubt but that the Interchangeable mileage ticket will be adopted. e.zA
 Another matter to be considered will be the rate to be made for the convention of the Travellers Protective Association at Portland. Oregon, in June next. The pass question will be considered at lat CT meeting in St. Louis and 1t is consid- cred not likely that the matter of the scalper will come up at the present ses- sion. "The scalpers are not bothering us much these days" said one of the pas senger men. ''1hey are pretty well a dead issue and the only trouble now comes from the criminal class of scalp CTS, who do not hesitate to steal or forge tickets. They are our menace. The rail- roads have gradually been closing about the scalpers until they have been driven to desperate straits and thievery is the result. It seems hard thing to knock some of ham out though and the courts of New York have ruled for them or constitutional grounds"
 A number of the passenger men were shown the A!bapy dispatch telling license ticket scalpers or brokers. They thought we'll of 1t and considered it Il step in the right direction and believed that it would eventually shut out the dis honest practitioner
 The Supreme Court of Indiana has just rendered a decision to the effect that a person who uses free railroad pass and from all claims for injury to person or baggage is bound by the contract and cannot recover.
 Even without going into the details of the decision. this will strike the average person as both good law and good sense. The person who accepts free transporta- ton from a railway company-which practically means riding at the expense of those who pay-and then tries to re- cover. damages from the company for any injury incident to the trip deserves to lose his suit It is recognized that the railway company. in granting a pass, as- sumes certain obligations, such us safe carriage, etc., but as a matter of fact these obligations particularly concern the paying passengers and not those who may be riding free as a favor from the company.
 The Central of Georgia train due at :15 a. m., was two hours late yester- day morning, the delay being caused by the breaking down of an engine at Graves, Ga.