The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-02

Union of Railway Trackmen. prepared
by j. I. Sheppard of Fort Scott. against
the condition of the track of the Mis-
souri, Pacific railroad in Kansas.
Mr. Sheppard bases his complaint to
! the department on the ground that the
condition of the track make the trans
portation of mail much DELAYED and
| the persons of the employees of the rail
way mail service endangered In this
way he hopes to have the second assist
ant postmaster general, who has charge
of the transportation of all mails. take
cognizance of the condition of the Mis-
souri, Pacific track, of which he com
planned last summer to the Kansas
state railroad commission.
There is this difference however. in
the present complaint: In the one
previously made to the Kansas commits
sion, the complaint had to be limited to
the state; while in the complaint to the
department, the entire system of the
Missouri Pacific is included.
Mr.. Sheppard alleges that for years
the railroad has not employed sufficient
men on it's tracks or material for con-
Struction and repair. Touching his past
complaints and his present one, Mr.
Sheppard alleges:
1--WE have made complaint to the rail-
road commissioners in the states of
Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Okla
homa: but on account of the interest
that the poStoffice department has in
the prompt transmission of the mails
of the railway postal clerks we thought
it mete and proper to bring the matter
to your attention. We had neither the
time nor the opportunity to investigate
every mail train operated by this COM
pany on it's seven thousand miles of
railroad but we have taken for exam
pie a train which carries mails on the
main line of this company's road, be-
tween Pueblo, Colorado and Kansas
City, Missouri. This train is known as
= I,A CoI@ 40 cd H.
is designated as No. O. Its schedule
time for arriving in Kansas City, Mis-
souri, is $50 a. m. As you are aware
the mail clerks on arriving at the end
the time of their arrival, and if late.
to give the cause or causes of the de-
lays. BY the record made by mail
clerks on train No. 2, We find that from
June 1 to November of this year.
total of 153 days. this train arrived in
time in Kansas City but five times"
Mr.. Sheppard then goes on to give
other examples, charging reckless
management" that Tof the seven thou
sand miles of track owned by the com
pany, there are not 200 safe miles in it
ALL" and many other things.
Representative Scott filed the state
ment with the department and request
ed its consideration.
Since arriving in Washington,
r Representative Victor Murdock has
remained secreted at his hotel, almost
denying himself to callers, has ven
tured out but little and then only for
necessary exercise, and has not even
had his mail delivered from the
house of representatives postoffice, so
it is told on him.. in order that he
may bone up on the financial ques-
ton.
Mr.. Murdock does not claim to be
a hnancier or an expert on the ques-
ton; but what is his intention is to
know as much about Sthe matter by
Monday as any slaynran can. He
has stacks of WORKS on finance, cur
rency. and the ike; congressional
record debates; pamphlets, reports,
and everything of the sort, so that,
when a friend broke down the bar
rier and got at him the other day he
found him literally surrounded with
financial mental pabulum in various
kinds and sorts, digested, predigested,
and in raw form.
The intention to help solve the
financial problem is not possessed
alone by Mr.. Murdock. There are
others on the Kansas delegation who
have the same thing in view. OF these |
Is Representative Campbell, who has |
already prepared a bill on the SUBJ |
ject, which he will throw in the house |
hopper the day congress shall con-
vene.
Also there is Mr. Calderhead, third |
of the house committee on |
banking and currency, who will be in |
position to contribute his aid to the |
task before congress, as he has studied |
this question for many years.