The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-01
BAN ON SMASHERS
Railroad Beard Makes a Brand
New Order.
Raggagemen Must Hereafter
Exercise More Caution.
GIVEN A WARMING.
Unless Action Is Prompt Board
Will Be Heard From.
Formal Complaint Will Be Filed
by Attorney.
GIVEN A WARNING.

The great national game Of the bag
gage handlers is liable to extinction IN
Kansas. according TO a rush order sent
ont nv the state board of railroad COM
rn!ssioners today. The commissioners
were almost out of anything to regulate
about the railroads. when they received
this letter from an irate traveler-whose
letter voiced a thought which thousands
Of others have considered more or less
profanely:
''Gentlemen:-I don't know whether
Il is in the power of the commissioners
10 regulate the handling of baggage
rom baggage cars. or not, but from
my experience the past two weeks
must say il is an outrage the way
trunks have been handled. For exam
pIe-todav at this station my four
trunks we're handled Fl ! the baggage
cars to platform like so much cross
ties one man just guided them from
car door and down they came with
crash while in front Of door and up
rraiast the station stood a four wheel
truck and a pair Of skids. yet the sta
ton help just let the trunks drop. 1
have two trunks about II inches square
which weigh about 800 pounds each that
contain metal for newspaper advertts-
ing and which is very easily damaged.
nv other two trunks contain paper
which is heavy and 1 have as yet FALL
ed 10 see one case where station men
favc known cases where only one man
was on duty at nights that my trunks
were let fall on platform by train bag
gageman while station help worked
mail and express
IF it IS possible to compel station
agents or helpers to use their trucks or
skids to unload trunks I am sure 1t Will
be greatly appreciated by the many
trunk men in Kansas who are up against
the drop system now in use at almost
all stations
The board of railroad commission
ers had received many letters on the
same subject. Many of them were
tinged with profanity. The above
communication was the straw that
may break the joyous baggage
smasher's heart. Since railroads
were invented, baggage handlers have
lightened the mOnotOny of an other
wise tedious existence by inventing
new ways and whirls by which to dis
tribute the contents Of a burglar
proof sample case over a depot plat
form or spread the vacation I'M
r1entionables of a school ma'am over
all the territory between switch limits. /
But the board OF railroad commits |
sioners is firm, as may be observed |
by the circular letter which they are I
sending out to all the railroads in |
Kansas:
You are hereby instructed to issue |
TO your baggage agents and depot |
agents such instructions as will Sc
cure to the travelling public the care
full handling OF their baggage and the
discontinuance of the practice of said
employees Of dropping trunks direct |
from the cars to the depot platform. |
If your company has rules covering |
this matter you will kindly insist on |
an enforcement thereof. You are |
hereby further notified that unless /
the action indicated above is taken !
within thirty days from the date of |
this notice the board will instruct its |
attorney to file proper complaint in |
the premises