The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-16
Santa Fe Has Corps Of Inspect
Ors Over Freight Handlers.
Will See That Shipments Are
Not Broken Up.
CATER TO PUBLIC.
Want People to Forget Old Pref
udice.
Other Items Of General Interest
in Traffic World.

The Santa Fe Railway company mas
taken the initiative in an effort to bet
ter subserve the interests of shippers
in careful handling of goods by the es-
Enlistment of a corps of inspectors
whose duty 1t is to keep an eye on
the manner in which employees handle
these goods.
Following the policy of President
Ripley, the inspectors are to make an
earnest endeavor to correct the popu-
lar opinion to the effect that rail-
road cares only to haul freight TO It's
destination and dump it Of
More than forty years ago W. K
Wand erbilt journeying to Chicago, was
met on the outskirts of the city by an
enterprising newspaper reporter, VINO
asked him for some news on pehaiI
of the public. Mr. vanderbilt and the
reporter lid not enjoy perfect mar
mony at the meeting, and the next
issue of the paper quoted the former
as using the phrase, The PUBIC De
damned Vanderbilt subsequently
denied having said it, but the reporter
stuck to his story. Whether Wander
biIt did or did not say it. the phrase
has for nearly half a century been
used in a manner calculated 10 create
some prejudice against the railroads
This, however, is not the railroad
mans attitude. The average railroad
man, having to deal directly with the
public. is courteous, obliging and efh-
cient Occasionally there is an excep-
ton as there is to every rule, and II Is
the exception that causes most OF the
grief for the railroads. The excep-
ton is reported, the story gets into
newspaper, it is copied. thousands OF
people read it, and many quote the
railroad man as thinking, II not say
ing, THE public be damned. on the
other hand, little is heard of the nun
dreds Of employees who patiently, ana
in a painstaking manner, labor for the
accommodation Of their patrons Tne
people pay for this accommodation
and of course expect it. and in the
rush of affairs they do not always have
time to express their appreciation OF
it but they feel it, just the same. But
let an employee become impatient, i'm
pertinent or careless, and complaint
soon has Travelled from end or the
system to the other.
Take the freight end OF the railroad
business, for example. Rarely, indeed,
does a merchant mention the fact that
his car or box arrived at its deStina-
ton in good order, or on time. The
freight agent, however, is not sensitive
on that point, for mo news is good
news to him. If there is no complaint,
the shipment is counted as successful.
On the other hand, when shipment
is delayed or damaged the freight
agent is advised promptly The Atchi-
son Topeka & Santa Fe Railway COM
pany lately authorized the loss and
damage c. mmittee to employ num-
Der OF inspectors, whose duty II VIII
be to go from town to town over the
line to see that freight is properly
loaded and unloaded, and that switch
ing is promptly done. These inspectors
report to the superintendent, and all
cases of careleSSness are given imme-
date attention. Santa Fe officials be-
lieve that through the workings of this
department complaints about delays
and damage to freight shipments viii
be reduced to the minimum. So siren
uous an effort to serve the public in,
the most satisfactory manner was not
made in the days when Mr.. Vanderbilt
was quoted as aforesaid.
E. P. Ripley, president of the Santa
Fe not only has been a stickler for
prompt and efficient service, but for
politeness as well; employees strive to
become noted for their careful atten-
ton to the wants Of the public. Mr..
Ripey's desire is that inquiry for in
formation at a Santa Fe depot shall
bring a courteous reply, and that the
company's representatives show an in
terest in the welfare of patrons who,
through lack of experience in travel or
shipping. ask a good many questions.
This Is Mr.. RipIey's idea of transact
ing business with the public, and he
has pushed the policy with such vigor
that Santa Fe employees now are rec
ognized generally by the travelling and
shipping public as particularly agree
able and accommodating class of men
and women.