The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-11-04
BAC0R

lnlhklnS ABOUT Journey tnat they
were not certain make from preempt-
ing the Pullman space that was urg-
emily required by others who were
compelled to travel. When It was
possible to reserve a berth by tele-
graph or telephone or buy Pullman
ticket and get your money back at
the last moment, it frequently hap
pened that sleepers in which all the
berths were reserved in the morning
would go out half filled in the even
ing because the reserved space had
not been taking up or had been re-
leased so late that it could not be re-
sold. Now that it is necessary that
both the railway ticket and the Pull
man space must be paid for before
berth can be reserved, only those
who are reasonably certain of travel
ing make reservations, and the Pull
man cars are better filled, to the adj
vantage of both the public and the
railways. The rule which made it
necessary to send Pullman ticekts to
Chicago for redemption has recently
been recinded and they will now be
redeemed at the office of sale provided
they are presented long enough be-
| fore the departure of the trains to per-
nit of their resale. Thus tickets on
trains leaving during the forenoon of
any day must be presented at the Of
flee of sale by $3.50 o'clock p. m. on
the previous day, and tickets on trains
leavong after ~ o'clock noon must be
presented at least three hours before
the departure of the trains for which
they are sold. Pullman space releas-
ed later will, if possible, be resold for
account of the buyer, and when so
resold the tickets will be redeemed if
sent by mail too the Pullman Co. IN
Chicago. The necessity of providing
| Pullman cars for the transportation
of our troops on night journeys has
made it necessary to adopt these rules,
all of which are designed to secure a
full loading of the sleepers which are
used by the public and thereby re-
lease those which are necessary for
the transportation of soldiers.
! 4. The sale of surcharge tickets for
transportation in Pullman cars when
no berths or seats are to be had is
one of the things properly complain
ed of that has been remedied. For
merly the Pullman Co., being a sep
arate and independent organization,
objected to collecting revenue due the
railroad companies Now that both
are under the control of the United
States Railroad Administration this
difficulty has disappeared, and ar
rangements are being made in pur-
suance of which the Pullman Co. will
hereafter sell tickets for the transport
tation surcharge to those, and only to
those, who are able to secure accom-
modations in Darlor cars or sleepers.
Much of the unnecessary confusian
hitherto arising will thus be avoided.
5, The limit of from "a to 4S hours
now placed upon the use of tickets is
sued by a few roads that formerly
sold unlimited or 3O-day tickets for
short Journeys has also provoked
many complaints. 1t is natural that
those who do not understand why this
limitation has been imposed should
resent it, but there is a good reason
for the new rule. 1t is to be found in
the crowded condition of the trains
which makes it exceedingly difficult
for the conductor TO be sure of col
Letting the tickets from everyone in
the car, especially when some of those
who have no scruples about beating
the railroad" are skillful in evading
him. If these dishonest persons could
buy unlimited tickets and succeed, as
many of them do, in riding without
surrendering them, they would be able
to resell the unusued ticket or get a
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them an advantage over their more
conscientious fellow travellers A lin
tied ticket good only on the day Of
issue makes such practices more diff
feult, and the rule prohibiting the
sale of unlimited tickets has been
framed in the interest of the honest
as against the dishonest person anG
is to be commended rather than con.
demned.
6. Ill-kept stations, cars, and lava
tories compose another group of the
grievances complained of in many let
ters that reach the Bureau for Sug'
gestions and Complaints. The inves-
legations which have followed the re-
ceipt of these letters reveal not few
cases of geuine neglect and careless
ness. Efforts are being made to pre-
vent their recurrence and enforce
high standards of cleanliness and sani
tation everywhere, II is to be ad
mitted, however, that the shortage Of
labor makes this difficult, and thai
while the war lasts immaculate house
keeping IL hardly TO be expected, One
! OF the letters received upon this sub
, ject Ia worthy OF special notice. II
9. l-ia rHz.z