The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-29
FIGHT IS
REACHING CRISIS
Atlanta Shippers Are as 0bsti-
nate as Ever
ALABAMA is INTERESTED
Report of Alabama Commission Stating
That This State Has Better Rates
Than Georgia Added Fuel
to the Fire.

Atlanta, October 2s.-(Special.) ALA
bama freight rates are playing a promi-
nent part in the fight Atlanta is making
against what the city chamber of COM
merce considers the unfair and discrim-
mating freight rates dealth out by the
railroads to Atlantas merchants and
manufacturers.
Having no water competition the ques-
ton of freight rates is left entirely to
the railroads and the state railroad COM
mission. Towns having water competition
are given greater consideration by the
rail lines, and Atlanta shippers have long
protested against the system which makes
them pay higher rates than merchants in
many cities have to pay for longer hauls.
For the past few months the light has
been holly waged. The state railroad COM
mission issued an order for lower rates
which very nearly met the demands of
the Atlanta manufacturers. The railroads
promptly met this with an injunction. In
reply the shippers have called on the city
and county authorities to deny every
grant asked by any railroad no matter
how reasonable 1t may be on it's own
merits until the railroads give Atlanta
fair rates." This has even extended to
the Louisville and Nashville, which has
nothing to do with the rates now in effect
in Atlanta, but which is seeking an entry
through the Atlanta, Knoxville and
Northern The right of way from Mariet-
ia, the southern terminus of the Atlanta.
| Knoxville and Northern, into Atlanta
has been secured, but the road has been
held UP at road and street crossings.
Where Alabama Came In.
Just at the time when the fight was
hottest and the feeling of the Atlanta
merchants had been worked to the highest
pitch a report was issued by the Ala
bama railroad commission congratulating
the people of Alabama on the rates in
effect and citing Georgia and Atlanta
in particular, giving tables of compara-
tive rates. as an example of how much
| higher rates were secured by the rail-
roads in other states.
This report would not have been pleas
antly received at any time but coming
| just when it appeared it added fuel to
| the fire The report was featured in all
the Atlanta papers and characterized as
absolute proof from an impartial and
uninterested source of the great injustice
done Atlanta in the matter of freight
| rates." Whenever the question of freight
rates is brought up the better advan-
tages enjoyed by Alabama are mentioned
and no answer the railroads can give
has been sufficient to satisfy Atlanta
that she is not being given a below the
belt deal.
A number of meetings have been held
between the city officials, the chamber
of commerce members and prominent rail-
road men but nothing has been accom-
| plshed outside the determination of the
| Atlanta shippers to stick together and to
| keep hard at work until the railroads
give what they want.
Short Line Cut Threatened.
In these conferences the railroads have
been a bit defiant and have done very lit
tie to soften the feeling toward them held
| by the Gate City shippers. When invited
to attend conference with city officials
General Agent j. S. B. Thompson of the
Southern railway, wrote the chairman of
the committee from the council that the
Southern railway does not propose to dis
cuss this matter with any committee from
council or from other body.
Director Sam Inman of the Southern
railway in public speech here, declared
that if Atlanta kept up the fight and
coerced the railroad into giving unpro1ta-
|
taliate by building a cut off from Gaines
vile to Rome, giving a short line from
Birmingham to the east and making that
city the center of a great volume of COM
merce which is now handled through At
lanta.
The shippers are determined and the
railroads are obstinate. and at this time
| there is no telling what will be done.
The Atlanta papers keep hammering at
the railroads but so far without effect
There are many who consider the pres
ent policy of the railroads very short
sighted. Time and again it has been
openly charged that the railroads have
too much to do with the government of
Georgia and there have been many NUT
terings, particularly in the rural dis
tricts. In all the contests the Atlanta rem
resentatves have been quite friendly to
the roads, but If the fight continues the
next representatives from Fulton will
probably go in as anti-railroad men. and
If they lead the fight against the roads
the railroads may pay dear for their OBJ
stinacy.
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visit to his daughter, Mrs j. B. Stage