The age-herald., 1900-12-23
TRAINS TAXED TO
 THEIR CAPACITIES
Several Run in Two Sections to
 Accommodate Passengers
UNION STATION CROWDED
Express Company Rushed With Busi ness-Rumored Reorganization of L. 6 N. Passenger Department.
 Russell Denies Report.

The railroads entering Birmingham were taxed to their capacity yesterday to handle the passengers on their lines. Several thou sand persons came into and left the city during the day, and several of the passen- ger trains had to be run in two sections to accommodate the excursionists. The Kan sas City Memphis and Birmingham trains from the west and the Southern trains for the east were run in two sections each, while the Southern to Greenvile, Miss, which left shortly after noon, carried three extra coaches. Every passenger train car ried extra coaches, and then number of the passengers had to stand up. Among the excursionsts were a large number of college girls and boys, who had to pass through Birmingham to reach their respective homes. The female colleges at Athens, Anniston, Tuskegee, Montevallo and Tuscaloosa each furnished a number of girls. while the boys came from Tusca- loosa, Auburn and other places outside of the State.
 Up to Expectations.
 The holiday travel this year has fully met expectations and is much larger than for a number of years past It was almost pnySlCdl PupOSSlDllly lO get pHTOuBn tHo great crowd that congregated in the passen- ger station yesterday from l o'clock in the morning until o'clock in the afternoon. Tine waiting rooms and the space between the waiting rooms and the railing were jammed all day long by excursionists and friends, who had gathered there to meet friends and to see the crowds.
 In consequence of the heavy travel several of the trains were late yesterday and last night.
 The Southern Express, Company is doing an immense business. Manager Ham of the local office states that his company is do- ing the heaviest business in its history in this city. The office will open today and the regular force will be at work. Packages will be received and also delivered the same as on week days. The manager finds it nec- essary to keep open today in order to handle the enormous quantity of bundles and pack ages received and shipped from the local office.
 Links and Pins.
 The local passenger department of the Louisville and Nashville is distributing L. and N. calendars for 1901. These calendars are gotten up in very attractive style and will be both useful and ornamental in busi- hess offices.
 A report from New York that the South ern Railway aAd the Monon are to form a combination, thus giving direct and through route from Chicago to Savannah on the Atlantic coast and Mobile on the gulf. The plan is for a close traffic alliance which will enable the Southern to get into Chicago over the Monon, in addition to rei ching St. Louis oNe, the Air Line.
 It is reported that there will be practically a reorganization of the passenger depart ment of the Louisville and Nashville road. aisin of fbn nf rf- ment is said to be the result of the con- ference held in Louisville about two weeks ago when General Passenger Agent C. l.. Stone summoned all the passenger agents to that city. It Is stated that MT. Stone had this conference for the purpore of getting acquainted with the passenger agents so that he could form an estimate of their abll- ity and capacity. Each man was invited to make his speech at that conference and to suggest what he thought was best for the improvement of the service on that system, increase the business and successfully work the territory in which 1t is engaged. In this way each man gave the general pas senger agent an idea as to his capability to handle the business for his road, though he was probably not aware that he was doing so.
 It is stated that the Louisville and Nash vile will establish a district passenger agency at Memphis soon after the begin ming of the new year.
 G. c. Armstrong, general agent of de Funiak's office, has gone to Cincinnati to spend the holidays.
 Superintendent Johnson of the Central of Georgia, was in the city yesterday.
 President RusselIs Denial.
 President Russell of the Mobile and Ohio emphatically that he is to resign. He has written the following letter to the officers and employees of that road:
 Mobile, Ala, December H.-To the Officers and Employees of the Mobile and Ohio Rail- road Company-Thereeis no truth whatever in the published reports from Memphis that I am going to resign. The recent inspection of the property by MT. Duncan, chairman of the board, and his associates, was more than satisfactory. Confidence of the own CTS of the property in the management Is increasing and my relations with the own CTS are closer and more cordial at present than they-have ever been in my twenty five years of service with the company
 n T prpsfdant