SUNDAY RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6739, 20 September 1883, Page 3

SUNDAY RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

The railway companies of America have recently devoted some pains to an investigagation into the viewa of railway managers na to Sunday labour on the railways. It reports thijt the rhajority of railroad officers hold Sunday labour to be a fearful mistake j but there is too great a discrepancy to warrant the uniform action which will be needed to put an end to Sunday traffic. Among the opinions which it publishes are the following: — President Ledyard, of tho Michigan Central, hoartily favours the diacontinuance of Sunday traffic. Tho, chief difficulty is the sharp competition; those roads ceasing it would bo at a disadvantage with thoae continuing it. It could be effected, however, by the trunk lines absolutely refusing to exchange traffic from 6 p.m. Saturday until Monday morning. The law of Nature, he argues, requires Sunday rest, and' conducters and engineers are entitled to it. The losa would not bo appreciable, and tho better morale of tho men would abundantly repay companies for discontinuance. The public might be dissatisfied at first, but would accommodate itself U) tho new arrangemant if it were uniform. Each of the Chicago roads formerly ran a Sunday train from Omaha, but the public soon became reconciled to the substitution of one train alternately by the three compauies, Mr "Haupt. tho general manager of the Noi them Pacific railroad, says that on unimportant local roads Sunday travel may be given up, but on the lines that crosa the Continent it is wholly impracticable. The passenger business would either be crowded into one or two days in the weok, or passengers would be forced to lie over at aoiue Wiiy station. He favours reducing Sunday work to the lowest possible-point, believing Sunday rcßt an absolute necessity for the maintenance of vigour, and that thoae who can conscientiously favour Sunday observance are likely to be more faithful in the performance of their dutieH, Mr Rowland, of the Louisville and Nashville road, does not think it practicable; or the fruit and vegetable trade would be utterly impossible. It is practicable to reduce the work somewhat, if all roads would agree. Mr Andrews, superintendent of the Wabash road, Bays that they only run one passenger train, and only so many freight trainß aa live stock and porishable freight require. He does not think it practicable to stop Sunday work entirely. _____^ mm^mmmmm