The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-29
ON RAIL AND cRossTIE.
Local and General Gossip in Railway
Circles

Maj. A. C. Knapp of Macon has been APP
pointed acting Superintendent of the South
western railroad to succeed Maj I. ID.
Kline, whose resignation will take effect
July 81. Mai Knapp has been the agent
Of the Central at Macon for number OF
years. The Telegraph says of him that the
business community, vita which he has
and accommodating official. He is familiar
with the workings Of the road, and until
permanent superintendent is appointed the
work will 60 on uninterrupted.
The work Of closing out and recognizing
the railway companies which went into
bankruptcy IN the disastrous times follow
ing the period of over speculation a few
years ago is now nearly completed. This
year, up to July |, the foreclosure sales
numbered twelve, representing 1855 miles of
line and a total apparent funded debt and
capital stock Of $31 ,423, 900. In the same
period of 1887 our record showed nineteen
sales, involving 2,4lS miles and S156, $685.
000-or nearly five times the amount Of
capital represented in the sales thus far in
1885 For the entire year 1897 the sales num-
bered thirty-one, covering 5,47S miles of
road and the enormous capital of
1928, l8l 900. Thirteen roads, with an ag
gregate mileage of 2, 42S miles, and total
apparent funded debt and capital stock of
$lj3, $50, 900, have acknowledged their in
soiveucy since the year began. Compared
with several years previous, the RdiitCdy
Age says that this is discOuraging show
ing. For the first half of 1897 only five
cases of receverships appointed were re-
corded, covering 42S miles of road and
about SOS, 200, 0O0 of capital while for the
entire year 1887 only nine reCeiverships
were reported. representing 1,046 miles and
$50, $4,000 of investment. In 1886 only
thirteen receivers were appointed for 100
miles, involving about $40, $50, 900, but in
the years 1885 and 1884 the receiverships
were much greater in number and covered
an appalling amount of mileage and CAPT
tai.
At the recent semi-annual meeting of the
National association of baggage agents, in
New York, three important matters were
made the subject of discussion. The first
was how to head off the willy drummer,
who, Ivy borrowing an extra ticket from a
scalper at nominal rental, and having his
extra sample case checked free on the
strength of it, beats the railroad out of its
charges on excess baggage. This was cir
cumvented by the adoption of rule that
hereafter baggage would only be checked
on the single ticket that any passenger pre-
sented. The second was the adoption by
the association of an Improvement known
as the excess baggage check" to better
lilC u pOA UtJtOil u luS
of through passengers. This check, which
serves as a receipt for all baggage checked
by the passenger, contains a tab with
written record of the baggage carried by
the owner, the weight of the same and
other points of information A similar
check is attached to single trunk of the
passengers baggage, thereby enabling
agents on all roads traversed to keep track
of the baggage with ease. The business of
transporting dead bodies was the third sub
ject of discussion, over which there was
very earnest debate. A committee, APP
pointe to consider the matter, presented
series of rules enforcing stringent sanitary
precautions, which it was decided to submit
to the national board of health and the va
ri0us state boards Of health for Endorsement
and possible amendment. San Francisco
was selected as the place at which their
next annual meeting will be held in Janu-
airy, after which the convention adjourned.