The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-06-05
SALTY REPORT ON
Mu J, AND K, c, ROAD

Jackson. Miss, June -(Speeial.)-The
railroad commission has completed its
| labors and adjourned.
Commissioner Scott of the northern dis
trict, who has recently gone over and
made a close inspection of the Mobile,
Jackson and Kansas City railroad, made
the following salty report on conditions
between Louisville and Ripley:
Il find this railroad and the service
rendered the people almost a makeshift,
and were this commission to do its full
duty today it would in no unmeasured
terms condemn it from one end to the
other Much of the roadbed and track is
in bad condition, and l find but little
work compared with what should be
done, now in progress. A close tab on
the various sections of the line shows only
from four to six men to the section now
Al work. In my judgment there should
be from Is to 20 men to the section from
now until winter months, in order to put
the roadbed and track in a reasonably
safe condition. l find much of the track
that has never been touched since the
day the rails were laid.
THE passenger service is not only nd
first class, but is absolutely rocky AID
bunny. The coaches in which they carry
passengers are old and practically worn
out: they are a makeshift, and that
is all. The schedule by which these trains
run suits very few people, In fact the
recent schedule put In north of Louis
vile does not meet the reasonable de-
mands of the public.
Il most earnestly recommend to this
commission that the said Mobile, Jackson
and Kansas City railroad be forced to put
on a double daily passenger service
from Louisville north to the Mississippi
stato line.
1.-THE freight service to the patrons of
the roads is far from satisfactory. | find
many complaints that the road has not
uniform freight tariff. Complaints are
made at some of the stations that ship
pers are unable to secure rates in adj
vance of shipment Complaints are made
thai the company refuses to settle many
small claims for lost, damaged and
stolen goods. 1t strikes me very forcibiy
that the present management is making
no effort to get along tremendously with
the people.
1.-THE depots and the sitting rooms are
kept in a moderately fair condition, but
in many places the law is completely
ignored when il comes to providing
drinking water in the depots, and
marking the bulletin boards. On the
town of New Albany, at the hour No.
6 passenger train, going north was due
at the station, 7 found the bulletin
board of said NJ. J. and OK. C. railroad
dated May 81, and No. marked 30
minutes late.' As a matter of fact No.
6 was not late and came in on time.
The above marking was evidently for
the day previous. This is an open VIC
lation of the laws, and l urge this
commission to impose a fine at this
meeting of $50 against the said rail-
road as the law directs.
1.-The people along the line of this
railroad have been patient, and are not
now intolerant, but in view of the
many promises made for a better serv-
ice. and not fulfilled, they are sure to
grow impatient, and I would most
respectfully recommend that this COM
mission make an order requiring that
the said NJ, ] and K. c. railroad put
their track and roadbed in good order
and that they ge biven until the first
day of October, 1908, to have the work
well done, and that in default of the
full and complete provisions of this
order, the commission will proceed
against said railroad as the law di-
reefs.
II further recommend that the NJ.
j. and *. C. railroad be ordered to put
ON a double daily passenger service
from Louisville north to Mississippi
state line and return, effective with a
schedule approved by the commission,
not later than the first day of Au-
gust. 1908.
This commission should also order
that said railroad place in the hands
of its various depot agents a complete
tariff schedule showing the rates on
all commodities shipped over it's line,
and that these tariffs shall be on file
where the public can inspect them.
This report applies to the Gulf and
Chicago Railroad and Mobile, Jackson
and Kansas City railroad, or whatever
corporation or company may hereafter
come in possession of said railroad"