The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-13
MUST TELL TRUTH
Railroad Board to Issue Order
About Bulletining Trains.
Require Roads to Give Passen-
gers Correct Information.

Announcement was made this morn
ing by the state board of railroad COM
missioners that the board WILL within a
few days. issue an order calling upon
the railroad companies of the state to
bulletin at all stations where there are
telegraph or telephone facilities, the cor
rect time for the arrival of trains, and
the amount which any train may be
behind schedule time.
Some of the members of the board are
said to be in doubt about the right of
the board to make such an order, after
the legislature, through action of the
senate lodge killed the Stone bill which
provided for just this thing which the
board new proposes to order DONE
Nevertheless" said one of the mem
bers of the board this morning, I'VE are
going to issue the order, and if it is
violated, we will at once place the mat
ter in the hands of our attorney and see
that it is enforced"
This will be one of the most popular
moves which the board of railroad com
missioners has made since the new law
was enacted. People who travel know
that it is almost impossible to find out
from the railroad companies the correct
time for the arrival of trains, when the
trains are delayed. One of the commits
sioners had an experience of his own a
few days ago which served as an exam
pie. He wanted to go to Leavenworth,
and on calling up the depot to find out
about a train was Informed that it was
on time. He rushed through his work
and hurried to the depot, to find that
the train was said to be 30 minutes late.
AS a matter of fact the train did not
arrive until three hours later, and was
two hours late when the depot reported
1t ION time
1t was >then too late for the member of
the board to make his connections for
Leavenworth, whereas, if he had been
able to get correct information at the out
set,- he could have gone on some other
competing lines which might get the busi-
ness of delayed trains is the principal rea-
son which inspires railroad companies to
give out incorrect information about
trains.
OF course it is admitted that there may
sometimes be difficulty in the way of CIV
of trains, for the reason that late train
can sometimes make up lost time and ar
rive ahead of the anticipated time Pas
sengers will probably have to take their
chances such an occurrence. unless
they can keep in touch with the station,
and get the latest reports.
The order of the board, 1t is announced,
will be similar to the provisions contained
in the Stone bill. The Stone bill said:
Every railroad corporation, company
or person operating a railroad within this
state shall Immediately after the taking
effect of this act, caused to be placed in
a conspicuous place in each passenger de-
pot of such company located at any sta
ton in this state at which there is a tel
egraph or telephone office, a blackboard
of suitable size upon which such company
or person shall cause to be written at
least ten minutes before the schedule
time for the arrival of each passenger
train stopping upon such route at such
schedule time not and If late how
much; provided also that any passenger
shall be deemed to be on time as to the
operation of this act.'