To the Director of the Ferrovie Meridionali [Southern Railways]

E VI, 3123

Request for ticket price concessions for pupils from the south travelling on the Southern Railways, as has been the case for some time on the Alta Italia [Upper or Northern Railways].

Turin, 9 January 1880

Dear Mr Director of Ferrovie Meridionali

The undersigned, in order to come to the aid of poor young people, founded various establishments in northern Italy, Tuscany, Liguria, and most recently also opened one in the city of Brindisi and another in Sicily.

Due to which, it will often happen in the future that your employees or pupils need to travel on the southern railways.

Here in northern Italy, ever since the railways belonged to the Government, thanks in particular to Comm. Bona of blessed memory, the management always granted special concessions to all the establishments dependent on the undersigned.

The Società dell'Alta Italia continued to grant the same favours, and the current management also maintains the same reduction enjoyed in previous years.

I believe this is done in view of the charitable purpose of these establishments and also in view of the advantages they bring to railway employees, since many of the children of these employees, who have been orphaned or belong to families with very limited means, have been and continue to be taken in by these houses, some completely free of charge and others almost free of charge, while hundreds more receive elementary, classical and technical education at no cost whatsoever.

The same assistance that it provides to young people, and particularly to the children of railway employees in these towns, it also intends to provide in the houses currently existing in Brindisi and Randazzo and in those that it will need to open in the future in the provinces served by the Ferrovie Meridionali, although it has already taken in several children in its houses in the past.

Trusting in the kindness of Your Excellency and of this Honourable Management, I respectfully request that you grant your employees and pupils who will be travelling on the southern railways any concessions you deem appropriate.

Rest assured that all the money saved on travel will go to benefit the many poor young people who turn to us for education and shelter. The administration of the Ferrovia dell'Alta Italia grants fifty per cent as in the model attached hereto.

I pray to God to keep you and all your employees in good health, and with feelings of the highest esteem, I have the honour of professing myself

Your Excellency’s

most obliged servant,

Fr John Bosco