The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-10-02
THE RAILROAD HEARING.
State Board Takes Evidence Regard
ing Unsatisfactory Train Service.

The hearing held in this city Thurs
day afternoon by the state board OF
railroad commissioners vas attended
by a large number of citizens, all Of
whom were personally interested 10
the proceedings. The hearing was
held in response to a petition presented
to the state board, In which its atten-
ton was called , the ~incouvenient
and q satisfactory passenger service
on the Montana Central between Great
Falls and Havre.
The state railroad commission, con.
sisting of B 7. Stanton, chairman,
and Messrs. Nathan Godfrey and E.
A.. Morley, arrived by special train
about noon, accompanied by several
Great Northern officials. Among the
latter were A. L.. Craig. Of St. Paul,
general passenger agent OF the Great
Northern: H. A.. jackson, of Butte,
assistant general freight and passen.
ger agent: c. F. Murphy, assistant
superintendent of the Montana Gen.
trail: and Attorney l. Parker Veazey,
OF Great Falls.
The hearing was held at the court
house, commencing at 2 o'clock, At.
torneys F. E. Stranahan and w. S.
Towner conducting the examin alton of
witnesses, and Attorney l. Parker
Veazey representing the railroad in.
t~erests. Testimony regarding the con.
ditions about which complaint had
been made "a given by Congressman
Charles N. Pray, Judge John W. Tat.
tan, Mayor C. H. Green, Jere Sulli.
van and other local residents, who
called attention to the fact that night
train service had been in effect in this
locality during the past four years,
and that requests made to the Great
Northern for more convenient con
modations had met with no response.
1t developed during the hearing that
localities tributary to the Montana
Central between Great Falls and Havre
are the only ones in northern Mon.
tana that are without q daylight train
service, that there are only three sta.
tlons in the 123 miles at which agents
are employed. and that at many points
there is no shelter or proper accom-
modations for passengers while await
ing the arrival of trains.
John Isaacson, of Virgelle, who tes.
tilted upon the latter point, gave an
amusing story of his personal expe'
rience ia spending most of the night
in an abandoned chicken coop, the
train being several hours late, and
the depot building at Virge!le being
locked aud boarded up. He told the
l commission that, prodting by this ex'
~perience, he had since taken q ten and
l camp stove with him when making
railway journey from Virgelle, to Sc
lcure shelter and warmth while waiting
through the midnight hours. Mr.
t ~Isaacson stated that his tent had fire
. Quently furnished accommod ations Il
other travellers who were exposed t
. Indictment weather conditions by the
absence of depot facilities at Virgelle
t The railroad side of the matter wa
presented by A. L. Craig, general pas
2 senger agent of the Great Northern
who stated that the passenger schedu
r was arranged with a view to givin!
the best possible service to termina
points, where the greater portion Q
y the business originated. Chairman
Stanton, of the state board, suggested
y thai one community should not get tn
worst of it ell the time, but Mr.. Crail
insisted that is was purely a bushes
d proposition with his railroad. Ate
making arrangements with Mr.. Grail
to secure data as to the volume q
passenger traffic at various points O
= the Montana Central. the hearing va
adjourned, the commissioners leaviu,
= at once for Columbia Falls to investi
gate complaints from that locality.
: In discussing the matter Of a pro
posed daylight train service on thi
part of the Montana Central, the He
. eua Record quotes Commissioner MOI
= ley as saying:
"We regard the matter worthy Q
consideration. Pursuing our estab
lished policy We are going to take tn
" matter up with the railroad official
< first in an endeavor to make a sati-
factory arrangement with them with
:. on. having to resort to arbitrary &C
q ton. II we consider the dayligt
le service an absolute necessity, we shal
d request the railroad company to TAX
'e action. If the company refuses I
o act, then we shall order the service
e It is within our power TO do so. w
n can order IN extra train placed o
o the line il we choose. Generally tn
D railroad companies are willing to TAX
= voluntary action when they see
measure is badly needed"