Evening journal., 1913-10-14
RAILROAD VS.. PEOPLE.
From the Laurel Leader.


Another week has passed and still
no watchmen have been placed at the
two death traps of the Pennsylvania
Railroad at Sixth and Seventh street
crossings, and it surely looks as though
the citizens of Laurel will be compelled
to demand and make the railroad COM
pany place some means of protecting
these places; for unless something is
done it is only a question of time be-
fore someone will meet with a fatality
and who knows whose home it will cast
shadow over, or who that is in good
health today and Joy in your life will
be forever still, a life snuffed out like
the blowing out of a candle, no warning,
shrill shriek of a whistle, too late.
If the people don't demand it, it is
sure thing the railroad company will
consider they don't deserve it and there
fore we don't get it. VIII they spend
penny where they don't have tot In
fact they spend thousands of dollars an
nually to keep from spending money.
Every railroad has its press agent al.
ways at work; every railroad system
has its newspapers that il owns out
right, or contracts by power equally
as great as ownership. It may have
]
ten ties and it may be practically ready
I for a receiver, but it always has money
to srend on press agents to influence
public sentiment One man from a gen
erall department is quoted as having
said that for every 1000 spent for
advertising, the department would be
happy to get back $50 in traffic.
/ They do advertise. not for traffic
tbo,.oL b,,f for continent The
management of verv few pub
lications will allow anything to be
printed that is unfavorable TO very good
advertisers and the railroad men know
this. and they know that the press can
create a sentiment either favorable OF
unfavorable; hence the advertising pays
not directly, but indirectly.
Now if they can spend thousands an
nually for sentiment, they can spend
enough to give us on the Delaware Di-
vision better protection and better ac-
commodations.
Only one night during the past week
some lady passengers in a sleeping car
out of Philadelphia for the Delaware
road were awakened by curses and men
falling from their berths, sailors intoxi-
Gated were staggering to and fro
through the aisles of the car and had
lost their balance and fallen in the
wrong berth. The porter tried to quiet
the sailors and so did the conductor
They vomited all in the aisles and when
the train left Laurel, the rumpus was
still in progress. The conductor, very
gentlemanly man, apologized to the la
dies for having been so disturbed, but
said he was helpless as the disturbers
had tickets This is only one instance
of what the people have to contend.
In Laurel we are blessed by having 3
very accommodating and pleasing agent
but such conditions do not prevail in al
places on the Delaware Road. A few
days ago a young boy carrying TIVE
heavy suit cases asked the agent at this
station if he would check one of his
cases, which of course he should have
! done; this was at least ten minutes be
fore the train was due to leave. In
stead of doing as was asked, all he sais
, was. Now, 60 on away, / haven't tim'
: to fool with you"
Another example of insult instead o
accommodation. Accommodation an,
Protection;" demand it and we viii
get it.