Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-06
An uItimatum on the Depot Matter.


-HE newspapers tell US that an
other passenger depot is GER
tainty and the present union de-
pot viii be left solitary and
alone TO the lessees OF the ". & A rail-
road. and II Ex-Governor Gambler was cor
rect IN his diagnosis Of the situation, the
value OF the states property VIII De re-
duced one-half whenever the other roads
withdraw from the depot now owned by
the state in the capital city OF Georgia
Perhaps without being able TO give a
suficient reason for Il. / am fnexpressibly
sad because OF the change. and there are
. many Ike myself in the state OF Georgia
gho win feel the same way. because the
state Owrs magnificent property as now
situated and controlled. and u is oreaofui
70 recognize the fact that inadequate ca
pacfty 10 meet and control the present
condition OF affairs viii doubtless provoke
renewed efforts to sell the states proper
~ and thus kill the goose that has been
having golden eggs for all these long
years OF progress and prosperity. by
emascuIating its virility and value.
Ny mind goes back 70 the time Wnen the
legislature vas dealing with this railroad
property. before the present lease was en-
tered into. and when the only questions
before that body were future lease or
sale / was intimately acquainted with
the dfa7cultfes which hampered that body
IN the years when this subject was so
freely discussed in the state capitol
The present lease act which, with some
amendments. finally passed the legisla-
ture. was inaIiy copied BY my own hand
in my own home before Il was intro
duced and i recall the thrill OF satisfac-
ton thar possessed my very soul Wnen
word came that for twenty-nine years
the state of Georgia would receive It's
present rental and that this great rail-
road property would pour in a generous
amount OF money every month OF that
time into the states treasury. and the
little children all over the state would
have tangible benefit from an investment
which their forefathers authorized and
which the greatest statesmen OF the early
period entered into and approved as val
uable and benefcent
/ said 20 myself: This question Is set
tied for twenty-nine years. or thereabouts.
We win get the rental promptly, the les
sees viii get a handsome profit from their
undertaking and every dollar OF that
money as II falls into the strong box OF
the state viii tell the story OF patriotism
and intelligent capacity on the part OF
its representatives-whO made an open
fair-daylight contract. without lobbying
or Individual gain. so much for so much,
with no doubt about proper security for
the performance Of the contract with the
state and with no possibility OF forfeiting
the bond that was represented by a de-
post o. state bonds in the state treasury
10 the amount Of $4,000. and dear old
Georgia had made a good safe trade with
genuine. safe lessees. and all IS fair and
serene"
But now I feel as II a cyclone had pass
ed over u.s. or an incendiary fire had
burned I'd another barn with valuable
horses cremated. or the thief had been
there in the night and the horse was gone
and the barn was nearly empty. although
the key Is stin in the lock and the lock
Is apparently intact upon examination.
have less wisdom than affection, per-
haps. but feel today as IL there will be no
hereafter forgiveness for any man OF set
OF men, or company or corporation, which
has distracted half the value OF states
property when the cOnfiding people were
securely believing the state owned a prop
erty that was above par. and which would
continue without let or hindrance to pay
it's own way.
The tfnkle OF $500 as II falls into the
treasury once a month with no repairs to
make or taxes 20 pay, with contract as
good as gold bonds and the property in
plain view, too secure to be run on, too
solid TO be burned up or bankrupted by
dishonesty or defalcation, these things all
loom up into painful significance. when an
open declaration OF war from the outside
Is lung over the walls and the long ago
folly OF permitting another railroad to
parallel the Western and Atlantic ap-
pears. I lay down my pen TO get a good
breath under the pressure that attends
a sympathetic review of our present con-
dition- Has the state OF Georgia dropped
its candy2 Did our representatives lose
their chance a few years ago? Because I
am a woman I am ready 60 cry. and 1
feel Ike calling on our representatives to
save als from further incapacity. delay or
pr0crastinatIon-