The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-18
Citizens Along Missouri Pacific
See Attorney General.
Want Him to Proceed Against
the Railroad.
HAVE NO WIRE SERVICE
People Do Not Know When
Trains Are Coming.
Jake Sheppard Charges Manage
ment With Grating.

Attorney General Jackson and Attor-
ney G. F. Grattan, of the state board
OF railroad commissioners are hard at
work trying to decide what the state
can do to check the present policy OF
the Missouri Pacific in removing it's
telegraph operators wherever it is pos
Bible to do so.
About half of the Missouri Pacific
telegraph operators in Kansas have
been let out, it is said, and the offices
discontinued. This was done by the
Missouri Pacific to save money, after
the Kansas railroad commission mad
refused to stand for the plan of that
company to discontinue a large portion
Of its passenger train service
The protests are now coming In thlck
and fast to the attorney general and
the railroad commission against the
discontinuance of telegraph offices.
Several have been received from Saline
count and points on the Central
branch. L. T. Hussey, state oil in
spector today protested against the re-
moval of the telegraph instruments from
the station at North Lyndon. The most
noisy, formidable looking protest came
from J. 1. Shepard, and six residents
of Devon, Bourbon county, who called
upon Attorney General Jackson with
protest signed by several hundred resi-
dents of Devon and vicinity.
The protest from Devon occupies
three typewriter pages, and attacks the
Missouri Pacific management IN a most
vicious manner. 1t sets forth that the
Missouri Pacific discontinued the tele-
graph service on February s. 1t goes OH
to say:
''On account of the condition of the
tracks, bridges, cars and engines, ,sched-
ule time can not be made by this COM
pany's trains. Without telegraph ser
vice we have no means of knowing
when trains will arrive until we see
them coming. Sometimes they are half
a day late"
The fact is cited that the Missouri
Pacific now has a bonded debt of s149,-
600 a mile in Kansas. and is trying to
float $4,000, 900 more in bonds with part
of the Kansas lines as security. An ad-
vertisement from some financial paper
is attached to show the nature of this
bond issue. The document goes on to
say that it is the belief of the petition
ers that the management is trying to
wreck the road; that the failure of the
road to make money is due to a. graft
ing management. 1t is charged that
supplies are bought for use on the Mis-
souri, Pacific, and then sold to other
roads; that raw foreign labor is en-
ployed at higher wages than is paid to
Americans, Notwithstanding that one
American can do the work of five for
eigners-so the department claims
The object Of employing foriegn-
the officers to graft on their ignorance
and force them to make cash presents,
to supply them with goods from stores
in which they are interested and board
them on cars which they provide, all at
exorbitant rates and charge.
1t is claimed that large gangs of
Japanese laborers have been given
Jobs at $3.50 to $1.75 per day while
Americans can get but 81.
"If this railroad" says the protest,
trying to serve the people of the state
honestly and fairly that they have in
trying to control the politics of the
state, there would be no complaint
They employ at large expense lawyers
whose business it is to corrupt legisla-
lures and control courts in the inter
ests of the company. The same week
that we received notice that our tele-
graph service was to be discontinued
we also learned through the local
press that a lawyer in our county
had been added to the force of gem
eral attorneys which this railroad al
ready had
The protest closes with a petition
to the attorney general to institute ac-
ton in the courts for the purpose of
forfeiting the franchise of the com
pany, and forcing it into the hands
of a receiver, who will administer the
affairs of the company until it is back
on a better basis of business manage
ment.
Attorney General Jackson listened
to a speech by J. I. Shepard the at
torney for the complainants, but did
did indicate what he would do.
I'VE are receiving a great manv
complaints of this nature said Mr..
Jackson This complaint from the
town of Devon is only one in a long
list. OF course the state doesn't take
a hand IN such a case simply to set
tie fight between a rev patrons of
a road and the company, but I am at
work seeing what the laws are on the
subject, and 1t may be deemed best to
try to protect the towns which are be-
ing deprived of telegraph service"
G. F. Grattan is also working on
the case, and will give an opinion to
the board on its authority in the mat
ter. 1t is doubtful whether the
board has any right to order a rail-
road company to put on telegraph
operators.
L. T. Hussey of Lyndon, the state
oil inspector whose towns has been
hit by the new order saws.
1--WE gave the Missouri Pacific $40
800 worth Of business last year. and
we feel that it is a great Injustice to
deprive us of telegraph service There
Is no way to find out whether trains
are late, and people have to go to the
depot at schedule time Cys,alIv
they have a long time to walt for
Missouri Pacific trains are usaualIv
late. We want somebody to helm us ;,
->
Two Suffocated in a Fire.
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