Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-05-11
Letter From H. S. Law.

Amongst the laws referred to in
the papers as having been enacted
at the recent session of the Mis-
souri, Legislature, l noticed one
purporting to empower the rail-
way commission to compel trains
to be stopped, for the convenience
of passengers, at stations. | have
not e a copy of the law, but
have been watching closely for
some movement on the part of
those who travel over the Missouri
Pacific railway, from this point, to
attempt to place some limit to the
utter contempt with which their
rights are treated by the manage
ment of that road. If such an act
has been passed it will probably
go into effect next month. One
would naturally suppose that peo-
pie who have been insulted and
outraged for years, as have the
people of this community, would
eagerly grasp at any promise of
relief, but all that | have so far
heard is hopeless murmur and
complaint.
Sabula is the railway point of
connection for about two-thirds of
Reynolds county and a large part
of Iron. The territory tributary to
the road at this point extends into
the former county to a distance of
more than twenty miles from the
road, and into the latter about
fifteen. The traffic in passengers
and freight is considerable.
Under the present schedule one
train, north-bound, stops for pas
sengers at 6:55 A. NJ. One going
south between twelve and one at
night will stop if tagged, the pros
pective passenger to do the flag
ing and provide the means This
latter train condescends to take
passengers, but no checked bag
gage is taken or put off by it at
this station. Should you be a
passenger on this train, arriving
here from the north, with a check
for baggage, you must await the
pleasure of the company for it's re-
turn from some point south. A
local freight train each way, be-
tween De Soto and Piedmont, runs
on every business day and will
carry passengers. That north
bound is due here at 1875 A. NJ,
the one going south at two-some-
thing in the afternoon. These
trains, however, are so uncertain
in their movements that no travel
err who has not time ''to burn
pays any attention to them.
If an express package is for
warded from the north for this
station it is received-when re-
ceived-from the socth. | do not
know whether this railway COM
pany is as utterly contemptous in
its disregard of the rights of the
people generally, but these are the
conditions, practically, that have
prevailed here for years. AS to
its conduct in the matter of freight
that is another story.
But what | am curious to know
is, how long will the people sub
NIT tamely to such treatment at
the hands of a public service cor
poration, to whom has probably
been contributed more of the pub
lie funds than the real value of
their road and rolling stock? What
will the people do about it? Do
they think about it at all, except
just for the moment when they are
~intolerably CALLED? Do they eve
reflect, that should this railway
company find it desirable to run
its road through the field, garden
or orchard of a citizen; to erect a
roundhouse in his front yard, or
use the site of his home for a
pumping station, the courts would
grant them the privilege, on the
ground that they represent the
public; that the object of their x
istence is to do the business of the
people in the carrying of freight
and passengers? Do the people
ever seriously ask themselves
whether there is any hope of re-
lief; if SO, how it is to come, and
when? II. S. LAW.
Sabula, Mo-, May 5, 1905.