| Show ABOUT RAILROAD STATIONS A new york newspaper writer commenting in I 1 a recent article upon con editions in the railroad world perpetrated the following epigrams bith ith attending observations opulence begets extravagance necessity stimulates economy american railroad companies have been lavish in their expenditures upon what witness the erection of 0 veritable palaces as stations in the larger cities it if the public refuses to provide the money for such projects then there will be a lull in improvements ot of this kind until conditions again change for the better and conditions condition sin in a young and progressive country are far more likely to recover than to retrograde A prominent railroad man interviewed upon this subject said the paragraph quoted above has been given wide publicity no doubt there are some som who caught by its clever verbiage and yielding wil willingly bingly to a somewhat human tendency to cheer when the sound of a swat is heard whether the blow be justified or not will echo its sentiment but a second thought will be of some assistance an analysis of 0 the writers assertions will give a correct interpretation of the so called extras atances and lavish expenditures which have their manifestation in the construction of railroad stations which deserve to be called veritable palaces these palaces are public places built for public use and public conff comfort ort A railroad station like a post postoffice office or a court house or a city hall is one of the most democratic institutions in the country there the folk of high caste or low degree meet on common ground enjoying the same accommodations sharing alike in the conveniences that are provided appreciating alike the beauties and luxuries that have bee been installed it if the station be in keeping with the times no more unpopular place is numbered among americas public buildings than the old unsightly dilapidated rall railroad road station persons of 0 all classes deprecate the continued use ot of such a building and all classes are just as earnest in their praise when a rickety passenger depot gives vay to a structure of handsome architecture and modern equipment the public which enjoys such a buildings beauties and appreciates its comforts com lorts does not regard the exp eap nui ture as an extravagance from the viewpoint of civic pride held by those who liven in tye the cily where the expenditure ex is made as well as from that of personal comfort held by all travelers from all sections of the country a new station project Is looked u upon pon favorably the critic who holds an opposite opinion has failed to measure public opinion idlor the public nill not refuse to provide the money for such projects tho the public on the contrary wants them and in a country like ours ills counted wise to give the people what they want moreover from the economic side of the proposition these terminal improvements prove ments appear in an equally favorable tight light tor for of a fine depot makes busy dollars ot of it a great many idle dollars sends those dollars to the pockets of countless individuals for the purchase ot of brick and stone cement and steel for other materials of 0 various kinds for the employment of skilled and unskilled labor all classes of artisans are bene fitted just as all classes travelers ot of are accommodated mo dated so a hundred good results come at the call atthe of ahe master builder new railway stations stat stati lors ors then even though they be veritable palaces are both popular and ami practical in that they meet the wishes of the masses and promote prosperity the position taken by the writer ot of the article quoted above will vill find no endorsement from those who are most interested in such improvements the great army of 0 american business men inen and laborers and that greater army ot of american trave travelers fers n ho moving about from day to day want and demand the conveniences and luxuries that the modern passenger station affords furthermore it should be borne f n mind that in many instances improvements ot of this character are demand demanded Pd by the fit various rious railway hallway CommIss commissions lons throughout the country who are the peoples representatives therefore Therel it Is unfair to criticise criticism critic ise the railroads for complying with the demands of nf the public mid and endeavoring to mett their needs in this respect |
