The age-herald., 1899-12-29
THREATENED LOSS
 OF POPULATION
Proposed Changes in Run of L.
 & N. Freight Crews.
NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION
Will Cause the Removal from Birming- ham of Nearly Fifteen Hundred People Bodies
 May Take Matter Up

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad company has under consideration a move ment which, if carried into effect will cause the removal from this city of large number of engineers, firemen, conductors and brakemen. It will take away from Birmingham several hundred people and large amount of money that is now paid out here monthly in the way of wages.
 For some time past the officials have had up for consideration the advisability of running their freight crews through from Decatur to Montgomery and from Mont gomery to Decatur instead of changing in Birmingham. It is claimed that under this arrangement the engines can make more mileage and the same number of crews handle more business than is pos sible with the present arrangement of changing in Birmingham
 The run from Decatur to Birmingham is made, by the through freights, in about six hours, and to Montgomery in about thirteen hours.
 If the new arrangement is inaugurated the crews will be on the road about thir- teen hours and off from eight to twelve, depending upon the number of trains to be handled each day As it is the crews make an average of one round trip from Birmingham to Decatur, or from Bir- mingham to Montgomery every twenty four hours, and some times make an ex- tra trip in that time. It is claimed that the longer run gives better results and at a saving in expenses.
 An engineer for instancerec receives $4 for every trip between Birmingham and Deca- tur or Birmingham and Montgomery, or $S from Decatur to Montgomery. If the new plan is adopted the engineers will receive S63 for the run from Decatur to Mont gomery, or 37 cents less than is now paid for the same service. The pay of the fire men, conductors, hagmen and brakemen will be correspondingly less. the total rep resenting a saving to the company in wages alone of something like 4 per cent
 There are in the neghborhood of sixty crews, that Is, sixty engineers, sixty fire men, sixty conductors, sixty fiagmen and 120 brakemen, now living in Birmingham who would have to move their families to either Decatur or Montgomery if the pro- posed change takes effect. That is a total of S60 men and on a conservative estimate of four persons to each family, would mean the removal of 1,440 people. quite a little town within themselves. The wages paid these 360 employees monthly aggregates something like $30 o00 and if taken from Birmingham it means almost that much less business for the merchants each month.
 When asked to confirm or deny the report that such a change was contemplated by the Louisville and Nashville, one of the local officials replied by stating that it had not yet been definitely decided upon, but that the matter had been under consldera- tion for some time.
 Six freight crews now run through from Decatur to Montgomery, and have been doing so for the past two years.
 It is probable that the matter will be taken up by the Commercial club and the board of trade with the view of preventing, if possible, the loss to Brmnghma of so many people.