The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-09
MAY MEAN A NEW COMBINE.
AN AIR OF SECRECY ABOUT THE
RICHMOND TRAFFIC MEETING.

Speculation in Railroad Circles as
to Its Purpose-The Dissatisfaction
Concerning the Southern Freight
Association Believed TO BE Re-
spOnsibIe in Part For the Confer
ence-Savannah OmcinIs Who VIII
Attend.
There is a good deal of speculation in
railroad circles as to the meaning of the
conference of the traffic men at Richmond
to-day. The utmost secrecy has been OBJ
served regarding the meeting, and the Off
Gals in the freight departments, when APP
preached about it have refused most pos
itively to say anything as to the purposes
for which it was called. Its purpose is
not only not given out, but it is not even
known what road or roads were the prime
movers in arranging the meeting.
1t Will be remembered that traffic men
and officials of some eight or ten roads
met about two weeks ago in Charleston
for a discussion. There the greatest Sc
crecy as to the matter considered was
maintained and not even after the ofh-
Gals had returned to their headquarters
were they willing to say anything about
the meeting. The most that they would
say was that it had been nothing more
than discussion of traffic matters, from
which they hoped considerable good
might arise. Not as many roads as were
wished were represented at the Charles
ton meeting, and it was adjourned until
to-day in Richmond The discussion of
the questions considered at Charleston
win be resumed, and it is safe to say that
they will be of vast Importance to the
railroads of this section. Whatever these
matters may be, there can be no doubt
that they are of moment, when they call
the officials of nearly all. the roads in this
section OF the south to attend two meet
ings. Not only are the heads OF the
freight departments silent when the sub
ject is preached, but also those below
them. 1t is very likely that they do not
know anything about the matter, as the
determination to keep the facts of the
meeting out of the newspapers is evil
IDENTIFY general among the heads, and
they have made none of those under them
their confidants.
When all the circumstances in the case
are considered it does not require very
| much perception to hazard guess at
| the object in view.
1T is a meeting for the consideration of
traffic matters, as announced, but, though
| all the roads are within the territory or
| the Southern States Freight Association
| and most of them its members, 1t is not
| a meeting of that association that is TO
| be held. AT the Charleston meeting some
|
| of. the association and some were not.
| There were not enough roads represented
| to cali it a full meeting of those running
| through this section of the south, so the
adjournment to Richmond was decided
upon, in the hope of getting more roads
| to send representative In this the or
| iginators of the movement were success
| full, as indications point to much larger
| attendance at Richmond than was at
Charleston.
Since it is a meeting of the roads in the
Southern States Freight Association,
though not a meeting of the association
| itself, and of those roads that were either
formerly or have never been members, the
idea suggests itself that the purpose OF
| the conference is possible the formation of
| new freight association. The steamship
| lines arc also not left out. Their repre-
| sentatives are to be present at the meet
ing as well as the railroad
| men. If the idea is not to
from new association, it may be the re-
| Cancellation of the former members to the
present one and inducing them to again
come in.
It is no secret that some roads are very
sore on the Southern States Freight Asso-
citation. Their officials think it does not
| answer the purposes of such confedera-
ton of railroads, and it has been grow
| ing weaker from time to time through
Withdrawals. The refusal of the traffic
men to talk about the matter lends color
to the belief that their reticence is caused
by the desire to avoid its being known that
| such a step as the establishment of a new
association, in the event of its being deem
ed inadvisable, had ever been considered
| Among the roads represented at the
Charleston meeting were the Southern, the
| Central, the Plant system, the Georgia and
Alabama, the Atlanta And West Point, the
Atlantic Coast Line/ and the Charleston
and Western Carolina. Other lines will be
in the Richmond meeting, and it may be
that those attending will have more tc
say than was given out at Charleston. A
party of gentlemen left here yesterday by
the Plant system to attend the meeting
They were Vice President John M. Egar
and General Freight Agent W. A. Win.
burn, of the Central, Third Vice President
d. f. Jack and General Freight Agent F.
b. Papy of the Plant system, Vice Presi-
dent and General Manager Cecil Gabbett
of the Georgia and Alabama, and Mr. II
II. Raymond of Brunswick, general south.
ern agent of the Mallory Line of steam.
ships.
MISSISSIPPI SUPREME COURT.