The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-31


found that they could not get justice be-
fore county jury. and this, with so
lnuch adverse and drastic legislation. led
them 10 pay claims more freely and grant
many other concessions to AppeaSe 3d-
verse agitation.
''Ilas this course been successful? No:
on the contrary these efforts To sppcaSe
the people have only aggravated the dis
ease OF claim fever Claim fever Is an
old disease, but by this system of edu-
cation il has steadily grown worsc every
ycar, until II has become serious NAL
epidemic.
The claim department always has
plenty OF business on hand. The num-
Der and variety of claims presented is
simply appalling. Each claim paid cdu-
Gates not only the party who gets il
paid. but every other person doing bust
ness with the railways that learns OF the
claim being paid. and the fever Is he.
Ing constantly spread by this means of
cducat ton. No typhoid bacillus could mul-
lin most cases the slightest prctcnse
OF responsibility, the faintcst chance TO
get damages, augmcnts the fever and
develops a. case. 4 passenger on a train
learns that there is a wheel or the
finds they have made an unusual stop.
but suddenly he discovers his back is
injured or he has been sprained in some
way. This is the course generally taken
by the fever II no visible mark OF IN
jury appears.
In case OF accident 10 a passenger
meet the passengers mad secure release
and settle. Mr., a. sees Mr. y. get $40
or SIS for signing release. He knows
that Mr. 3. WAS not injured. but takes
advantage of the circumstance 10 get
little money himself This course Of ed
ucstlon increases the number of cases
Of claim fever.
Warning signs are posted in the
coaches for passengers TO be seated. but
they will stand up in the aisle or SIT on
the arm OF a seat. where any little jar or
sets them. and they are Immediately at
tackeI by the fever
"A passenger VIII stand up in tho end
OF a car with hand on the door jamb;
door swings shut, pinchine his fingers
and the company is held responsible for
his lack OF common sense; and business
is created for the claim department
Passengers Will so 10 sleep in their
seats and expect TO be awakened and car
ricd out at their destination; ana then
4! they are carried by their station they
are Immediately afflicted with the NAL
ady.
'''rhe farmer stacks his hay or straw
near the railway and his temperature
may he indicated by the distance between
the stack and the rirht-ofUav fence. IL
II burns, the hay was Al. and the straw
he usually burns each year TO get II OUT
OF his wav has become very necessary
and valuable.
. III fire gets out and runs over his land.
everything ii touches has high value
and the probable worth for somc time to
come is included In his computation OF MS
claim. II anv livestock is killed, II is
almost always blooded stock with a line
pedigree.
.'If an accident occurs at a public road
crossing or street. the claim viii bc par
iicularly heavy. FOR In every case tho fact
is established that the whistle was NOT
sounded nor bell rung.
Tho stockman ships car OF cattc.
He Is furnished transportation 10 look
after II. but he rides In tho cabnosc, ana
then holds the company responsible Tor
the condition OF the animals on arrival
at destination
Thus arc both sides OF tho claim trou
blcs presented !n part Except In cases
OF personal injury. however, the general
railroad policy of TODAY 10 smother aud
wear out all small claims from indivldu-
ais or from every one whose business is
trihinS value 10 the railroad.
Recently In local railroad office there
were l22 letters. making "A pile fully four
inches high. relating 10 one lost trunk:
Months had passed whiic the railroad
irined and hddlcd with tho owner of
that trunk. Finally the trunk was To-
Gated In Pocatello and returned TO the
owner. but nothing was done toward
awarding the trunk owner proper COM
pcusation for the trouble the railroad had
caused him.
In ease Of wonlen's clothing such de-
lay often ruins the value OF the contents
because Of the change OF fashion, and
even with the most common place cloth
ing. when such thing happens ana
months go by. ono must buy new per
sonal OUTFIT This all too often works
serious hardship, spols or prevents con-
tompatcd visits and vacations and digs
deeply into shallow poCkcthooks. The
loss OF q vacation Or a trip hom" 10
clerk H. no small matter. something that
a lost trunk often causes Tho railroad
official with "A comfortable salary may
Smil" at such matters. hut 1l SD per
week il is no smiling affair.