The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-13
FUTURE OF FREIGHT BUREAU.
BUSINESS MEN DO NOT WANT TT
DIsINTEGRATED.

M'ny of the Members Have Drowned
out Hut IL Is Relieved Those In
aereSted VIII Renew Their SUBJ
scrtptiOns, and Put Renewed En-
ergy i'm the WOrk-CInimed Tint
the Value of Its Efforts In Prevent
ing Railroads From Unjust Dis
examinations Makes It's Maintn-
nance Important.
All subscriptions to stock in the savan-
nan Bureau of Freight and Transporta-
ton VIII expire Jan. l, and some of those
now interested in ID are wondering what
course viii be pursued In the meantime
as TO the continuance or abandonment of
the bureau. A number of leading business
men nave begun to think the matter over.
but no concerted move In any direction
mas yet been proposed by any of them.
That the bureau is one of the protec-
tons merchants have against railroad dis
ordinations as well as the adjustment of
disputed claims makes its continuance a
matter OF Importance to commercial in
terests generally Commissioner d. q.
Purse states that he does not desire nm.
present position. but he Is of the heller
the bureau should be maintained by the
merchants for their mutual protection.
The work the bureau has done during the
past is enough to commend il to the mer-
chants Capt Purse says, and to drop the
work that has reached a systematic eff
Gent stage, viii be detrimental to every
jobbing house in the city.
1t Is a fact however, that number of
subscribers have dropped out of the hui
reau in the past few months. claiming
they could not see any benefit derived
from their connection with the organiza-
t'on. The reason for this is probably that
the benefit has come to the city generally.
and subscribers have not shared In the
profits as though a cash dividend were
declared occasionally. Where a discrimi-
nation OF some kind was rectified. how
ever, 1t Is said all merchants have receiv-
ed a benefit In the fact they were not again
subjected to the same thing originally
complained of. There are scores Of mat
ters that gave the merchants trouble but
they were taken up by the commissioner
the grievances rectified. and no further
Kept up systematically until IL is now as
serted that those connected with the blI
reau take an occasional trip along the Bay
in search Of complaints with the result
that few can be found.
Mr.. James NJ Dixon, an enthusiastic
member of the bureau, was spoken to
about what would likely come Of IL at
the end or the year, and In reply said ne
dld not know. He believes IL a boon for
the merchants, and is especially unre-
hitting In his praise of the wav It's af
Ialfs nave been conducted by Commission
er furse. The treless efforts Of Capt.
Purse, IN fully investigating and securing
relief on all complaints submitted Ia him
nave been eommendabe In every way. ana
Mr.. pixon believes he should be prevail
ed upon, IL possible, to remain at the helm
w ME an annual report of the bureau. in
which the page Of members whose names
are scratched out takes on the form similar
to that of poem fouEy dealt with nv an
editor stan u Is believed new life win be
enthused into the merchants and a LIST
secured before January that win slIrnass
any since The organization was incorpor-
ated. lt Is stated the reason there is less
apparent need for the bureau now Is that
things have been so well regulated Thai
some nave reached the conclusion there is
no further need for 1t. The fact of it's ex
lstance, however, Is a warning against any
KIND or discrimination, and some assert
'HaL MHtu IL Is uiSluteSrated II such a
thing comes about, it viii be a signal for
some roads TO build bon fires and rejoice.
IL was through the interchangeable efforts
or the bureau, ii Is said, that tourists
stop-oyer tickets from the North were OBJ
tanned by Savannah. This achievement. az
much as any other, has added much In
bringing about closer relations with this
and other sections, and has placed Savan-
nah on a footing with other cities. and
made 1t winter resort sought as eagerly
as other Southern cities.
The bureau has aiso been profitable TO
contiguous states, as 1t is said the Florida
State Railroad Commission was created in
directly through the bureaus efforts
1t Is expected something will be done In
short time in the direction of finding out
the feeling of the members in regard 10
continuing. Those of the business men
spoken to, however think there is little
doubt but 1t will remain intact, as the
business interests are too well convinced
OF the benefits TO let the work drop. They
do not care to reiinquish what other cities
in Georgia are strongly endeavoring 10
have established.