The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-03

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 or aaisSss @ seSsdai.s scSe si s'''den's or "''0-' And that the average number oi hours of daily service for station axcnte and O. orators should be .imi.ed especially as in many cases the sta. tion agent 10 also operator and charged with the duty of dispatching trains, and In some cases also bridge tender. railroad in the State. where the sta- tion agent is operator, and bridge tender also. This agent goes on duty at o'clock in the morning. and, if the on at 1o:so o'clock at night; and this man working seventeen and half hours a day Is charged with the duty dition for the safe passage or SIX or more passenger trains during thi. T would further recommend that Dc ess to aaf perform sars sss dutes % of train dispatcher or railroad telegraph operator upon whose messages trains are dispatched or handled.
 months ending June 30. 1906. there were killed by railroad accidents In this state fifty employees and nine pas sensers ,,and !s7 employees and pas
 Tt Is. therefore, your duty to throw every safeguard and protection to the public around the lives of those em- State. a. well as the travelling public. and no reasonable precaut!on should be neglected which will afford this
 You should pass such statutes as win make 1t mandatory upon the near est justice of the peace, acting as cor oner. to proceed immediately to where any person has been killed in any &C., cident or train wreck and to hold an inquest and ascertain the cause of such accident and who is to blame there- for.
 Cause of wreclks.
 T also renew ms recommendation that the Railroad commission be au- thorized and required to investigate, through It's engineer, the cause of ali railroad accidents resulting in the death or injury of any persons and that such report be filed in the office of the Rail- road Commission. and that the Rail- certain by such investigation as may be necessary the safest and most ap- proved switching device for use on the railroads operated in this State. and to report immediately all railroad ac- cidents causing loss of life or injury to persons or damage to property on their lines, showing. number of persons property destroyed. and also report cause of such wreck or accident
 T would further recommend that the express companies. the telegraph. and teles hone lines of the State be placed under the Jurisdiction of the Rall- road Commission, with such powers as may be necessary to control the char acter and maintain the efficiency of the service, and to regulate the rates
 "As the Railroad Commission, in the discharge of its duties, Is confronted with many important and serious prob lAma a fha irot tnr of its powers, 1t Is entitled to the very best legal assistance optainabie, ana, in view of the further fact that the railroads in their hearings before the Commission are represented by tho highest legal talent recommend that the Railroad Commission be authorized to secure such legal advice and assist ance as may be necessary to properly protect the interests of the State in the various proceedings and hearings in which they may be called upon to act.
 This assistance could be provided by special assistants to the Attorney Generals office or by special counsel as may seem to you advisable. The rights of the public should be amply protected, and the Attorney General of the State, however able and well dual. flied he may be, and however conscien- tious and assiduous he may be in his devotion to his duties. cannot possibly do the work he is called on to do with out your granting him some assistance.
 "In short gentlemen, whatever law may be necessary to enable the Rail- road Commission to compel the trans- portatton corporations of this State to discharge their full duties to the pub lie as common carriers should receive your favorable consideration, with DO purpose In view of imposing undue burdens upon these corporations, and realizing to the full the mutual de-