Evening journal., 1904-04-15
FRlDAv, APRIL IS, 1904.
The TRAVELLING pusLlc's RIGHTS

THE TRAVELLING PUBLlc's RIGHTS
The rule adopted by the Pennsylvania
railroad allowing a rebate on passen-
ger fares on certain limited trains when
schedules are not lived up to, is regard
ed as an experiment. a very interesting
experiment, that indicates that there is
a desire on the part Of this railroad at
least to deal fairly with the travelling
public. Perhaps the new rule is in re-
cognltion Of the fact that absolutely
fair dealing Is the best sort Of busi-
ness.
When persons buy transportation az
ter examining time schedules they have
a right to expect that they viii be able
to make the journey In safety and with
in the time specified and when they
are delayed for hours their expenses
increase and important business en-
gagements are missed. II is impossible
for trains always to make schedule
time. but when a company adopts such
a rule 1t is proof that It feels confident
Of fulfilling its obligations. and it is a
practical assurance that delays that are
not imperative are 10 be avoided.
IL is a move In the right direction,
for most travellers have the impression
that railroad ofiicials regard them as
so much merchandise to be transported.
and DO not think Of them as human be-
ines who have a personal interest In
the matter. Employees are enjoined to
answer questions and to be polite about
Il, but these answers are invariably
brief and IN tone to discourage fur
ther inquiry. They proceed on the as
sumption that the travelling public is.
or should be. as well informed as con-
ductors. porters and other employees OF
the road.
For instance, when a crowd OF peo-
pie assemble at a station 10 take a GER
tain train, and II does not arrive on
time they are usually obliged to wait
patiently without a scrap Of lnforma-
tion. Occasionally there is some trav-
eler with the detective Instinct and who
does not mind rebuffs who secures a
scrap Of information. and from him IL
filters through the crowd.
At certain stations there are black
boards for the purpose Of marking up
late trains. but trains may be marked
"on time when It is obviously untrue.
or they may not be marked at all.
Some time since we witnessed the spec
tacle Of at least a hundred passengers
waiting at a station in a Pennsylvania
town for two hours while the officials
were either ignorant or perverse ana
would tell them noth,sE Many want
ed to. get dinner, but we're afraid Of
missing their train; so they waited two
hours and then had two more to ride
before they could get anything to eat.
This sphynx-like silence extends Ia
delays in transit A train pulls out on
siding and waits then It creeps along
until minutes and even hours are lost
The passengers become restless, impa.
ticnt; they want to know the cause, but
no conductor OF brakeman was ever
known to reveal such Information.
And under an these circumstance
passengers are timid and deferentlai
They may be missing connections OF
another road; engagements may bl
broken and the injured one denied thl
satisfaction Of a reasonable explana
ton. Why should the travelling public
not be given all the Information the.
desire? II there is a wreck on the roa,
why not say so? II train is an hou
late why say shat it is only ten min
utes behind, only to have the travelling
public md out that somebody has lie,
70 the extent OF fifty minutes?
There are many women travelling. an,
many other persons who because OF tn
infrequcncy OF their railroad trips ar,
strange and nervous. Would It not b,
better to give them little real infor
nation such as they can comprehend
ard not few short sentences reluct
antly emitted and which are about al
ineligible as so much Sanscritq