The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-12-28
RAILROAD COURTESY
Complaint of The Lack Of in c. v. Sta
ton at Montpelier.

ton at Montpelier.
The editor Of the Bennington Banner
complains Of the treatment accorded
the legislators In Montpelier by Cen
trail Vermont railroad employees re.
Gently, and mis- remarks were quite to
the point. They are as follows:
Railroad officials, railroad attor-
neys> and railroad men generally arc al
ways grumbling that the public is un-
fair to the railroads. This statement
Ia not true, except In so far as the
railroad employees themselves make II
true by their disoourteous treatment
Of people;
adjournment Of the legislature a crowd
OF members and state officials throng-
ed the Central Vermont station &C
Montpelier, anxious TO get away for the
Christmas recess. In the beginning
the crowd was cheerful and good ma.
tured but It's nasty treatment by the
employees OF the Ccnral Vermont rail-
road was such hat that railroad can
never expect any marked degree Of
courtesy or kindly feeling from the
people there assembled.
"0ne marked instance was the treat
nicnt accorded Lieutenant Governor
Mead by the man in charge OF the
baggage room. After standing in line
for almost half an hour while the bag
gagcman openly favored Others, es-
pecially young women, who arrived
long after, DIR. Mead was openly and
surlily insulted in reply TO courteous
question at the end. DR.. Mead is a
kindly and courteous gentleman and
win probably not make any direct
complaint TO the railroad company, but
when he next hears the railraod law
yers at Montpelier whining about the
unfair sentiment toward railroads he
rs likely to smile and look the other
way.
ION that same Saturday morning,
score of others were treated MS badly
or worse than was Lieutenant Governor
Mead, all by this same mucker who
appeared to be boss Of the baggage.
room at Montpelier. The train was
about an hour late but the statement
was posted on the bulletin board that
the train was $40 minutes late" and
as the time approached the large mum
Der waiting 10 get baggage checked,
some Of whom had been there for
half to three-quarters of an hour, ma
turally became nervous and insistent,
but were treated by the railroad en-
ployes about as hired man would
handle drove Of swine.
III this were the exception and not
the rule the condition would not be so
outrageous, but the same thing, in a
greater or lesser degree, prevails at
two-thirds and probably at fve-sixths
of the railroad stations in Vermont.
II is practically impossible to get a
courteous reply TO "a civil question
from ticket agents, telegraph operators.
baggage handlers, and often, though
not so frequently, from conductors and
trainmen. For this condition railroad
management is alone responsible. Rail-
road directors and officials could COM
pei decent and courteous treatment Of
the public IL they chose and believe
il would mean Thousands OF dollars an
nually TO them in increased business
and lcssened animosity.
Railroad men at the start are no
worse than other people but, when
they find that boorish and brutal
Treatment Of the public goes without
rebul1e from their superiors, the habit
grows on them, il they are in any way
inclined in that direction. OF course
the railroad officials say in self de-
fence that they and their employees are
exposed to annoyance, but
this is no defence. Every man in bust
ness, every clerk in a store, everybody
who ever answers telephone call or
meets . customer has to answer count
less foolish and unnecessary questions,
and make long and tiresome explana
tons, but they have to do it cour
teously or lose their business or their
job,
IF at Montpelier last Saturday
the baggagemaster, the ticket
agent. or the telegraph operator had an
nounced publicly that the trains we're
an hour late and that everybody would
have ample time to get their tickets,
check their baggage, and send their
kilograms, and had these empoyes and
their assistants met the travelling pub
lie pleasantly and courteously, the
Central Vermont railroad would today
have hundred friends in place Of
hundred enemies or at least hundred
critics, and no one can doubt that in
the long run Il would have been more
profitable for the road
eve once heard q well intentioned
business man of national
reputation and striking success, re-
with ten dollar week
ticket agent for his unkind treatment
Of timid old lady unused TO travel
ling. The ticket seller heard the gen
tleman for minute, then drew him
self up, threw out his chest and re-
what the hell do you think
you are going to do--tell us how to
run railroad This is typical Of the
usual attitude Of railroads, from the
manager down. 1t needs no
comment, but we cannot but think of
It when railroad agents and attorneys
talk about the public being unfair to
the railroads.
CORNELL MAN ON FORWARD PASS.
rn,,,o Na.st earfeia finn Ia Needed an fhe |