The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-21
WELL FOUNDED COMPLAINTS.

WELL FOUNDED COMPLAINTS.
The people of lower Georgia are
complaining Of the mail and passenger
service which they are receiving, and
from all accounts they have good rea-
sons for complaining. The service IS
wholly inadequate. In many localities
they can get from one town to an
other on the railways in that section
of the state sooner by driving across
the country than by the railway
trains. AS for the mails. they could
be transported about as quickly by the
old stage coach system. Such treat
ment of great, rich and growing
section of country is unjust.
The Atlantic Coast Line is primarily
to blame. That corporation seems to
be giving it's time and attention to the
tourist traffic to the neglect of its local
patrons, Notwithstanding the fact that
it's local business is by far more prof
liable and many times greater in vol
ume than that which it gets from
tourists.
AS an illustration of the annoyances
to which the people in the lower part
of the state are subjected, and the in
conveniences to which they are put,
the following extract from letter
lust received from Blackshear is given;
"a man in our office to-day said he
reached Waycross from a point on
the A. & B.. yesterday morn
ing at 10 a. m, and was
unable to get a train to Blackshear
until 1920 p. m. of the same day.
He had to wait over III Waycross
twelve hours. Another gentleman, a
turpentine operator at Fargo, said he
experienced a similar inconvenience in
trying to get here. His family Is here
where his children are at school. He
says it takes the better part of two
days each way to pay a visit here.
In future be proposes to drive through
the country. He can save time by
doing So
Such a condition of affairs is intol-
cradle to people who have been ac-
customed to reasonably fair railway
schedules. 1t is not matter of Won
der that there is complaint of the
schedules in lower Georgia. 1t would
not be strange if a feeling of hostility
to the railroads should develop in that
section feeling that would show it
self in demands upon the Legislature
for oppressive railway legislation.
1t seems that the railway officials
say that the postoffice department is
responsible for the reduction in the
mail service, the purpose being to re-
duce the cost of the service. We had
ment had entered upon a policy of
retrenchment and economy. This is
matter which Georgia senators and
representatives should inquire into. 1t
is for them to see to it that the peo-
pie of Georgia have as good a mail
service as those of any other section
of the country. We feel sure that
if the attention of Representative
Brantley is called to the unsatisfac-
tory mail service in his district he
would see to it that it was improv-
ed or know the reason why.
w nat Is wanted Is the restoration Ol
the double daily mail service from
Jesup, westward, and the correction of
the evils which the local travelling pub
lie have to endure on account of the
recent changes in the railway schedules
II lower Georgia were section of
country of decreasing wealth and pop
ulation there would be some excuse
for giving it poorer passenger and
mail service. But it isn't going back
ward. On the contrary, it is growing
faster than any other part of the state.
In some of it's counties wealth and
population have almost doubled in the
last ten years. There is reason there
fore why the railway passenger service
and the mail service should be steadily
improved instead of being allowed to
deteriorate. The people have been
very patient in regard to the matter,
hoping that the justice of their appeals
for restoration of the service they
had little while back would meet with
a favorable response.