The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-30
THE CENTRAL ALL RIGHT.
SENSATIONAL REPORTS ABOUT
TEE ROADS CONDITION..

TEE ROADS CONDITION.
General Manager Gabbett Makes a
Sweeping Denial of Their Truthful
ness-Columbus the Starting Point
of the Rumors-Whst Mr.. Gabbett
Says About the Central-The Reason
for the Discontinusnce OF Some Of
Its Trains
Railroad circles have scarcely been so ex-
cited as they were yesterday when the
rumor that the Central was in bad way
became well circulated. Not only was Sa-
vannah, the headquarters Of the system,
startled, but the entire south was interested
The rumor brought many inquiries from the
north also. General Manager Cecil Gabbett
was busy all day answering kilograms from
all over the country asking what the report
meant. Savannahians, most Of all, were
the most anxious about the report.
The report had its origin in Columbus,
Ga A special dispatch from Columbus
to the New York Herald Of Mon
day stated that the 'wholesals dis
Continuance Of passenger trains has
developed he fact that this once splendid
road is in a most deplorable condition" The
disratch stated further that twelve impor-
tant passenger trains have bee1 taken oil
the road, making an agg regate reduction II
passenger mileage Of 800 miles General
Manager Gabbett was quoted as saying that
the road Is in a very lad condl-
ton and in an interview purpOrtlDg TO be
with one of Mr. Gabbett's close friends 1t was
reported that "these statements by the Cen
trails officials tell the story Of the wretcned
condition Of the !, al with more force than
any could make The dispatch wound up
by saying thai sin the freight department
the condition Of affairs is even worse than
IN the passenger department, and the road
is utterly unable TO handle lts freight bust
ness. Wreck follows wreck in quick sue
cession, and the road is becoming more and
more helpless every day"
GENERAL MANAGER GABBETT's REPLY.
AMORNING NEWS reporter saw Mr.. Cab
bett yesterday about the dispatch. The
gen raj manager made a sweeping denial
of the whole story "The Central railroad
was never more prosperous than it is now"
he ssi1 The HerGids account is grossly
incorrect TIE lack Of rolling stock, which
admit the road suffers from,
is caused by the increase Of
business due to the prosperous condition Of
the south. To meet this increase OF bust
ness the Central has placed orders for all
classes of rolling stock, which the road is
now receiving. Thirteen locomotives have
lust been receiyed and twenty more are 70
be delivered IN February. One Thousand
freight cars have just been received. and
orders have been placed for upwards of two
thousand more, some Of which the Central
has received and Is receiving daily.
Fifty cabooses viii be received within the
next thirty days, and even this number is
hardly adequate to meet the increase in
business.
MIR. Gabbett went on to say that the
1r,a 81, %.
mileage rapidly during the past
year by opening new territory.
"A large number Of branch roads operated
by private parties tap the Central and in
crease its traffic. But few Of those are sup
piled with rolling stock, and the Central
has to supply them"
A sHoRTHEss OF CARS on EVERY ROAD.
Mr. Gabhett said that the shortness Of
rolling stock is by no means confined TO the
Central railroad. There is hardly any
road in the southern states he said, that
finds itself sufficiently supplied, in conse-
quencs OF the decreased volume Of business
delivered 10 the roads for transportation.
All the car and locomotive works of the
country are taxed to their utmost 10 supply
the demand upon them by southern rail-
roads,
allow about the Centrars earningsi"
The conditi ion of the road was never
January, so far, the earnings show an in
crease Of $50, 900 in excess of the earnings
for the same time last year.
"Whet about the wrecksp
"a few mipor wrecks of freight trains
have occurred on the Columbus and West
srn division, between Columbus and Biz
ming am, but on no other portion Of the
system. The statement is exaggerated in
the extreme. The few wrecks which have
occurred originated from the usual causes.
The wrecks are not more frequent on tbs
Central tLan they are ON other lines where
such a tremendous volume Of business is
handled
THE DISCOHTINUANCE OF TRAINS.
'Haye the twelve passenger trains re-
ferred to been taken Off"
''In our endeavOr to improve the service
with an economical distribution of our
facilities, some trains have been discon-
tinued. No trains, however, were taker
off until careful analysis OF the business
had been made. The result Of this anal ysis
Is that the earning capacity Of the trains
which have been taken off was not sufi
Gent to warrant keeping them on"
The general manager said that any annoy
ance or Inconvenience resulting from tn
taking off of these trains, TO patrons, i
overcome by more thorough rearrange
ment OF the service which took effect las
Sunday. 81 did not rearrange the train
when | first took charge Of the road" b,
said, 'but, after a careful examination, tn
discontinuance has been made in order b
dispose Of such trains as are not paying"
MIR. GabDett said that all of the train
which have been taken off were expert
mental trains, and had been in operation
only short time
Col. Matthews of the Ohio Falls Car Com
pany is here now taking orders for cars, an,
ne said that the II companies are tax d t.
their utmost TO supply the demand for car
on southern railroads.