The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-31
ALL SERENE IN COFFEE NOW.
RIVAL LUMBERMEN WILL DO
THEIR FIGHTING IN THE COURTS.

Mr.. McDOnough Returns From Doug
lass After Giving Bond for Him
self and His EmpIoyes-He Does
Not Attach Much Importance to the
Charges-The Waycross Air Line
and the Southern PINE Company
Are Not on the Good Terms Now
They Formerly Were.
Hon. j. ]. McDonough returned yester-
day from Douglass, Coffee county, where
he had the unusual experience of being
arrested for riot on an indictment by the
grand jury. Along with Mr. McDonough
the grand jury, as stated in the Morning
News dispatches, indicted twenty-four of
the employees of the Southern Pine Com
pany at Nichols. Mr.. McDonough gave
bond for himself and bis employees and re-
turned to Savannah.
The indictments grew out of the recent
clash between the Southern Pine Com
pany and the Waycross Air Line Rail
road, an account of which was published
in the Morning News. The Air Line peo-
pie attempted to build a spur track across
the property CT the lumber company des-
pite the latter's objections and did sue
coed in building about half a mile Of
track. This move came to a standstill
however, when a force of employees of the
Pine Company tore up the track and left
the Air Lines construction engine stand
ing in the woods.
There was much bad feeling on both
sides and it looked for time as if there
would be serious trouble. The head men
n
sufficient discretion to prevent an open
conflict and the matter has now been TAX
en- into the courts The grand jury acted
impartially in the matter and indicted the
superintendent and a number of the en-
ployes of the Air Line Railroad for tres
pass.
When seen yesterday Mr.. McDonough
said that he did not expect any further
trouble nor was he at all worried about
the Indictment of himself and his en-
ployes. The matter is now in the
courts" he said, "a temporary injunction
and restraining order having been grant
ed by Judge Bennett upon the applica-
ton of the Air Line people. A decision
will probably be handed down Saturday,
and 1 am satisfied that it will be in our
favor. The indictments for riot will
hardly hold as we were fully justified in
protecting our own properly"
The cause of the trouble as explained
ny MI. hCGOuOuSl, was tIlG effort Oh the
Air Line Company to build a spur track
through the property of the Southern
Pine Company with a view to preventing
the latter from extending its own railroad
to its mill at Marie, about two and one
half miles distant. The Southern Pine
Company owns a large plant at Nichols,
and also has a large mill at Marie. The
output of the latter mill has been reaching
the market over the Waycross Air Line.
The Southern Pine Company controls a
road from Offerman to Nichols which it
cross Air Line Comply was evidently
aware of this, and un rtook to shut off
the proposed extension by running a spur
track at right angles across the line of
the proposed extension of the Pine Com
pany To do this, however it was neces-
sary to go through the property of the
Pine Company, to which the latter en-
tered decided objections
In spite of the refusal Of the Pine Com
pany to grant the right of way for the
track, the Air Line people undertook to
put 1t through anyway. 1t was then that
the officers of the Southern Pine Company
decided to meet force with force, and had
the track torn up by their employees. 1t
can be imagined that there Is not the best
of feeling prevailing between the two
companies at present, and IL is likely that
the Southern Pine Company will not lose
any time in completing its road to Marie
and depriving it's opponent of the business
of the company which it has heretofore
enjoyed