The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-23
WRITE TO GOULD.
Kansas Railroad Board Orders Him to
Fix Up Missouri Pacific Tracks.

The state railroad commission has
sat down on the Missouri Pacific rail-
way With more emphasis and deter
minatfon than this commission has
shown about anything for a long time
The commission drafted a long let
Ter TO be sent direct to Gould, Harri-
man and the other Missouri Pacific
magnatess calling upon them to inform
the commission whether they propose
to put their road into good condition,
or whether they want the commission
70 put an Inspector at work to make
weekly reports on the condition of the
road. The commission refers to the
attitude of the Missouri Pacific as
,antagonistic' and says that it has
"exacted to a cent its toll and given in
return the minimum of service
The following is the commissions
letter:
Some time since. and after an in
spection of the tracks of the Missouri
Pacific Railway company in Kansas,
this board made to YOU a detailed re-
port of the conditions and betterments
1t deemed necessary to be, made on the
various lines of your property in Kan
sas in order to bring them to the
safe transportation of the travelling
public. Since the making of such
recommendation your company has
made an apparent effort TO comply
herewith But such effort has been
only half-hearted, and has resulted in
no very material betterment of the
condition of your property, but rather
in a very considerable embarrassment
of the board in it's efforts to promote
that feeling of good will and mutual
ity of interest that should exist be-
tween railroad companies and the pub
lie employing their services. 1t is a
fact that the policy of your company
in exacting to cent its toll and CIV
ing in return minimum of service
has been very largely responsible for
the antagonistic attitude of the Kan
sas press and politics toward railroad
companies. The people of Kansas are
willing to pay for railroad service, but
when they part with their money they
desire and are entitled to a delivery of
the goods purchased.
''This board is advised that there
has recently been a change in the or
ganizati of the Missouri Pacific in
that Mr.. f. H. Hartman has become
identified with the property. and hopes
that such change in the organization
will carry with it such change of
policy in operation as will bring the
standard maintained by Mr.. Hartman
on his other railway holdings.
THE purpose of this communication
is to advise you that the Kansas rail-
road commission desires that you
forthwith state your policy with refer
erlce to bringing the Missouri Pacific
property in Kansas up to a proper
Standard with a statement of what
expenditures you expect TO make, and
when and where they. Will be made;
and that unless you choose to at once
proceed in good faith to accomplish
a proper repair of your property. it is
the intention of the board to put a
qualified inspector on the lines there
of, whose duty it will be to make
weekly reports to the board the con-
ditions found. and such report will be
followed by the issuance to the public
of a bulletin of conditions existing
and an order to limit the speed of
your trains in accordance with such
conditions. You will please under
stand that it is not the desire of this
board TO take such action unless your
management persists in it's antagon-
istic attitude toward the Kansas trav-
cling and shipping public
From the above letter it would seem
that the board means business and will
push the matter of securing better and
safer service to the limit. 1t is also
evident from the reports of the con-
ditions of this property that the ac-
ton of the board is warranted. The
board mas attempted to accomplish
results with the Missouri Pacific
through the medium of formal orders,
but in almost every instance appeals
are taken and dilatory tactics in
dulged in.