The age-herald., 1901-02-26
GREAT RUSH AT
 THE UNION DEPOT Fifty-four Trains Handled Every
 Twenty-four Hours BUSY SCENES PRESENTED Only Four Tracks Makes It Prob lem Not Easily solved-Agents After inauguration Business.
 Links and Pins.
BUSY SCENES PRESENTED

Perhaps the busiest place In Birming- ham at o'clock in the afternoon of each day is the Union Passenger Station. Be- tween the hours of 3 and o'clock in the afternoon twelve passenger trains arrive and depart from the station, seven of which are under the shed at one time. With only four tracks on which to han dle these trains 1t becomes quite a com plicated question. To place all of these trains and prevent congestion and con fusion requires a master mind and a hustler as well. With trains leaving for Montgomery, Atlanta. Chattanooga, Mephis, New Orleans. Columbus. Ga. and Decatur, and the incoming trains from nearly of these places, 1t Is readily seen that 1t Is no easy job to prevent blockade and consequent delays. But 1t Is rare thing that one of the trains is delayed even a minute In the station from causes attributable to the station master or any of his subordinates. Cap tain c. E. Meglemry. the station mas ter, Is perhaps the best man that could be found for the place. and the fact that the trains are handled with such ease and promptness Is due to his tireless energy and good management.
 During each twenty-four hours no less than fifty-four passenger trains enter and depart from the station, and these all come In launches" to use the slang phrase. From Il o'clock in the morning until 1 o'clock in the afternoon eleven trains arrive and depart: from 3 to o'clock In the afternoon twelve trains arrive and depart, and from 10 to 1925 o'clock at night ten trains arrive and depart, and from 4:3O D. m. to 6:30 a. m there are ten arrivals and departures making forty-one of the ffty-four trains that have to be handled within six hours.
 Inauguration Business.
 Passenger agents of the local roads are hard at work now on business to Wash ington for the inauguration of President Mckinley next Monday. Quite number of persons from Birmingham will go to Washington for that occasion, most of them leaving on some one of the trains Saturday. The Birmingham Rifles will go In body, leaving over the Southern Railway either Saturday morning or Sat urday afternoon. The officers of the company expect to take at least forty men on this trip. It Is probable that the Rifles will be designated as the escort of General Wheeler, who is to be in con- mand of one of the divisions in tae inauguration parade. This would be quite O distinction for the Birmingham com pany but one they deserve. Captain Charles l.. Ledbetter will be in command of his company on the trip. It Is probable that all three of the lieutenants will 70 with the company.
 Links and Pins.
 Superintendent Fickinger of the Kansas City. Memphis and Birmingham Railroad was in the city yesterday.
 Special rates have been announced by the Southeastern Passenger Association on account of the following meetings:
 women's Home Mission Society. Af- rican Methodist Episcopal Church, Birui- ingham, Ala, March 22-26
 Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Charlotte. N. C., April 3-5 American Committee Women's Chris tian Association, Nashville, Tenn, April 1922.
 Penn Mutual Agency Association, At lanta. Ga, April 25
 National Stove Manufacturers Associa- tion, Boston. Mass, May I'll.
 Grand Lodge Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the State of Alabama. Bir- mingham, Ala, May 13-16.
 Annual meeting of the Interstate Cot ton Seed Crushers' Association, New Or leans, La., May 14-16.
 Supreme Council Royal Arcanum, Ashe- vile. N. C., May 15-2S.
 General Assembly Presbyterian Church of the United States, Philadelphia, Pa. May 15-31.