Newport daily independent., 1902-08-18
BUSINESS MEN PROTEST.

Act of Rock Island Disseminating
 Passenger Service on White & Black
 River Valley Branch Arouses Busi-
 ness Men and Large Shippers to
 Vigorous Protest Which They Pro-
 pose to Make Effective by With
 drawal of Freight Business.
 Since the cons truction of the White 6 Black River railway, ill 1886, a pas senger service has been maintained and operated over that line. The ac- quisition of the road for a lease of 99 years by the Choctaw, Oklahoma & Gulf brought no change in this ser- vice This line of railroad, passing through a rich agricultural section of country, tributary to Newport by trading interests, naturally received liberal encouragement from the busi- ness interests of this city, which were appreciative of the roads value in commercial and trade inducing way. This natural goodwill had been strengthened and the road further entrenched in the favor and support of Newport business men by a liberal, progressive and accommodating man agement, both as to local agents and general officers.
 The branch proved a paying invest ment to it's promoters and stockhold- CTS, as is proven in the terms of the lease by which it passed into the hands of the Choctaw. The business of the road has continued to increase and yet, in the face of such show ing, the past week Las witnessed the discontinuance of all passenger train service, leaving passenger and freight traffic at the opening of a big cotton season dependent upon mixed freight, scheduled to make run of 112 miles each day, but whose first at- tempt required two days to make half that distance. This road also holds a contract for the carrying of the mail to those towns on the line when such a service insures no regularity of de- liverance.
 The passenger receipts for the month os July ss s4o soee4 g1ios showed an increase of 120 per cent over the cor responding time for last year. Ii has been estimated that the Newport mer- chants contribute $30,0O0 a year to the earnings of this road on incoming freight business. Yet the new man agement do not sufficiently appreci- ate this business to accord the town single passenger train; and at time when prospects were never better and their volume of business never larger, train which has been in service from the infancy of the road is discon- tinued. The business men of New port are 10th to discontinue the pleas ant business relations that havelalways existed between them and the road officials, but they are resolved to pro- tect their interests and those of the city by securing the service of another road in the hauling of their freight. So determined are the remonstrancesI and protests that have gone up from our leading business men that the In- dependent has undertaken the com pilation of a number of interviews from some of the largest shippers and prominent citizens, that the road officials may know the manner in which public opinion regards the dis continuance of the branch passenger service.
 A. D. Bailey, of Bailey Bros, and member of the city council, said: "The course of the road is detrimental to the interests of Newport and so long as it continues we do not expect to give them a pound of freight, though in the past have always been very favorable to the Choctaw, However I cannot help but consider this an out rage"
 Capt. w. A. Joyce: lowing to the poor service of the Choctaw, I shall be compelled to give the Iron Noun tain my business and as I buy largely from Memphis a good part of my freight has been heretofore handled by the Choctaw."
 T. B. Stewart, of Stewart Bros, com tractors, proprietors of Builders Sup oIv Company. 3Haying\ inst returned