You men who are running stations should see that your platform lamps are not only kept clean and properly filled, but that after dark they are burning so that passengers won't get hurt falling off platforms in the dark, and that the platforms are kept clear of freight as per Rule 17; that baggage and express trucks are placed where patrons won't fall over them, and, if there is a fast train coming, especially a mail or newspaper train, notify the passengers and get them inside the depot, the only safe place at such times. Especially is this necessary on the double track. If there is a broken plank or a hole in the station platform, nail a board over it until the carpenters can get around to fix it. See that the platforms are kept clear of snow and ice; but when there is ice on the platform throw ashes or sand over the ice so that people won't slip on it. And if you have people waiting for trains at your station, especially in the night-time, see that the fire in the stove in the waiting-room is kept going so that they will be comfortable and not catch cold. It will take you less time to do these things than it will to make a report of an injury, and then cases like these won't be put up to your claim agent to guess at:
Mrs. J. P. Gedney, injured at Ontario, June 24, 10:27 p.m., was at station to take passage on train No. 17, went out of a lighted waiting-room onto a dark platform and fell.
Mrs. Mollis Schmella and Dr. Cleveland, injured, passengers on train 31, arrived at Altruria 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 21st; raining; got off train, no lights on platform; doors of depot locked, and fell from platform to track.
M. O. Hudson, passenger from Elton to Woodbridge, on train No. 47, arriving at latter place Aug. 28th, at 12:30 a.m., got off coach and ran up to baggage car to get baggage; in doing so ran against train signal on platform, was thrown down and injured; no lights on platform or in signal.
S. W. Thomas, passenger on train No. 48, injured at Harkrader, Oct 21st, at 11:20 p.m., was getting off chair car, which stood 150 ft. south of the platform; there were no lights, and the porter had no lantern, and when he stepped from the car step to the porter's box he slipped and fell.
And sweep the car platforms, so passengers won't slip on banana peels, and then such a case as the following won't happen:
H. T. Witheridge, injured at Wingate, Aug. 4, 1903, caused by his slipping on a banana peeling left on the platform of a coach in train No. 176 by the car cleaners.
When passengers are carried on freight trains Rule 12 says the car in which they are riding must stop at the platform to unload them. Don't do it out in the yard, and, if you have to do switching after unloading the passengers, stop at the station platform as you are pulling out and give the passengers a chance to get on and not compel them to go into the yard in order to do so. If at night, they might fall into a culvert or over some obstruction alongside the track and get hurt, and, if the platform at the station is short, arrange your work so as to make one stop where the passengers can get off safely, and notify them, so they will know when they can do so; and be sure to assist them in getting on and off, especially the old men and women, the children, and the cripples (that is what Rule 23 says, you always do it for the young and pretty girls) and then we won't be trying to conjure up excuses for cases like the following, or pay for them either:
Miss Belle Saunders, injured at Milwood, Dec. 14, was a passenger on train No. 16 from Homer to Milwood. A mixed train. It was stopped some distance from the passenger station; the passengers were allowed to alight, and in getting from the track to the street going down the embankment she fell and sprained her left ankle. It has been the custom to stop this train at this point for some time and allow the passengers to get off there, the busses coming up as near as they could to take them to the hotel.
Mrs. A. Zuehlke, injured at Granby, Oct. 10th, at 6:10 p.m., in getting off a train on which she had been riding as a passenger; the station platform is so short that only the platform of one car in train can be stopped at it.