The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-02
WAR AND THE RAILROADS.
IT'S EFFECTS ON TRAFFIC VARI-
OUsLY REGARDED.


portntiOn of Troops Thought to BE
of Moment i'm Running Up Passen-
ger Receipts-Quick Work Could
De Done in Moving Soldiers.
The war situation is watched as closely
by the railroad officials, probably, as by
anybody. They think their interests, or
that of their lines, would be affected in
the event of declaration of war against
Spain, but opinions differ as to whether
the effect would be to the advantage OF
the railroads
Several officials have been asked their
views about the war and the effect war
would have upon transportation. Some
think the roads would not suffer, that the
volume of business would not be diminish
| ed 1t is even thought by some that the
business of the roads would be increased.
Other officials regard war as they would
Restilence, so far as the business pros
pects of their lines during its continuance
are considered, and they would like just
as much to see the declaration made as
| they would to have the land visited by an
| epidemic.
Vice President John M. Egan of the
Central is among those who are opposed
to war He does not think the United
States has sufficient cause. Mr.. Egan says
| the Central Railroad, upon five hours
notice, could move the entire standing
army of the United States, If concentrated
at one place. One of the officials of the
road was figuring yesterday upon the time
that would be required for the movement
of men from Atlanta TO Savannah. lie de-
cided that in twenty-seven hours an army
of $3.50 men could be brought here from
Atlanta. Thirty trains would be required,
| each carrying twenty-five cars freight and
! passenger, with thirty-five men in a car.
| The five hours notice required from the
war department by the railroad would be
| to enable it to get sufficient rolling stock
| together to handle the movement. It Is
thought about half an hour would be nee
essary between each train for the men TO
| get aboard in order The trains would
thus be fifteen hours in leaving, which,
| added TO the twelve hours necessary TO
make the trip, would make the twenty
seven necessary for the entire movement.
What the railroad would get for this
movement of troops would be a nice item
to add TO passenger earnings. The one
way rate between Atlanta and Savannah
| is $S,37. The transportation of &c, $50 men
at this rate would cost the government
219,TO50 1t is not likely the government
would stand this long and the rates
would have to come down.
One passenger officials said; eve would
get a great deal of traffic in the event of
war that we do not have in time of peace,
and l do not think there would be any
| ruinous diminutiOn in the volume of bus
mess we do ordinarily. About the same
| people would travel business would have
to be continued by all houses food would
still have to be secured and supplies of all
kinds would have to be transported. Nov
ing troops for the government would be
a big thing for the railroads. No reduced
rates are asked for moving the soldiers at
any time, and the regular rate of three
cents would be obtained for each man.
This in itself, would be a great source of
revenue for the roads.
1T does not seem likely to me that
there is much chance for the war, in the
event it comes, to last very long. 1t
would probably be very brief, and con-
fined to naval operations. Troops would
be levied and transported by rail to coast
stations, the lines then getting in their
work. In a short time, the war being
| over, it would become necessary to take
| these troops back to their homes, and
there, again, would be money for the
roads. During the time the war is in prog
| ress there would doubtless be many addl-
tional companies sent from the interior to
the coast, squads would be going back
and forth and men would be going home
on short furloughs. It strikes me the
roads could not possibly lose on account of
| a short war.
"If the war should not close by the
| opening of the winter season, the revenues
| of the roads at the South would probably
fall off on account of the Northern visit
ors not moving to this section. They
would not care to take their usual trips
South in case war was in progress, but
the cessation of hostilities just before the
opening of the season would be likely 10
result in many coming South"
Another official freight man, does not
believe the United States has a casus
belli He insists that an indemnity should
be demanded, but that it should not be
with the idea that Spain is guilty of hav-
ing perpetrated the Maine outrage. 1t
should be treated as an occurrence in a
| friendly port where protection should have
been afforded a vessel of the Unitec
States, Spain being asked to pay for the
loss of American property and American
lives just as this country paid Italy, when
citizens of that country were killed at New
Orleans several years ago. About the
| Cuban question, the freight man thinks
the United States has no business to in
terfere. The Cubans began the war. and
stop if they were. War at its best, he
says, is horrible and cruel, and the Gu
bans are responsible for the present situa-
ton ON the Islands.
The freight official is of the belief that
the receipts of the roads would be injured
by war. Even with it dimly in sight the
freight business has fallen off. he says, and
| 1t is likely that the decrease would be
much more pronounced were the HOSTILE
ties actually TO commence.
The vestibule trains of the Plant System
and the Florida Central and Peninsular,
the FLORIDA Special" and the New York
and Florida Limited, "swill sobn be taken
| off, as the winter tourist season Is draw
ing to a close. The last train by each
route will leave New York April 8 and
arrive at St. Augustine the following day.
Returning, these trains, which will be the
last northbound, will leave ST. Augustine
April ~, arriving at New York the next
| day.
The withdrawal of the vestbules means
| practically the close of the season. There
will be some tourists returning after they
are taken off, as each road will continue
double daily service through from Flor