The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-25

WcIC CEOWuCu uuI thc supdlbdn tTdNek had dwindled perceptibly. most of the suburbanites stopping at home for to- morrow.
 The railroads will give Monday as a holiday to their employees. The Louis- vile and Nashville shops will virtual ly shut down tomorrow, only the nec- essary working force being retained The Western shops closed Friday and will give holiday until Wednesday. most of the other roads giving tomor- row. The traffic and transportation departments will also take a holiday Tomorrow.
 Loading to Capacity.
 Railroads throughout the country now are urging and doing all in their power to have freight cars loaded to capacity. Almost may it be said that the day of half-loaded cars or those with less than that has passed. It Is matter of self-protection for the railroads, and at the same time fur nishes. if anything. a better service for shipper and consignee.
 One may readily see wherein the railroads benefit most materially from the loading of cars to capacity. It does not cost a cent more to transport a loaded car than one with only a DOT tion of a load. Goods are transported really with more safety when loaded to capacity as there Is less danger of breakage when the load is so packed as to prevent shifting. When 1t Is considered that the railroad must foot the same expense for half a load as for one to capacity. 1t will be seen that the profit is cut just in half, as the freight charges accruing are just half.
 Sometimes 1t Is not practicable for 8 car to be loaded to capacity, especial ly when 1t Is local business. Almost always, however, it Is possible for the goods to be packed so they can be readily reached with all the space ta- ken up, and this rule Is followed as far as possible.
 Interchange with the Southern. Our highly esteemed friends, w. H.. Tayloe, General Passenger Agent, and s. H. Hardwick. Traffic Manager of the Southern Railway. are sending out from Washington to their friends of the Southern press and others q brief but pleasant note of graduation and appreciation over the splendid exhibit made for the first six months of the Southern fiscal year, beginning July 1. says The Atlanta News. It is indeed an exhibit which reflects credit upon the business management of this great corporation, and upon the splendid diligence and patience and energy of the able and capable managers of the passenger department. to which we must add without fail our. own ever popular Brooks Morgan. the Assistant General Passenger Agent in Atlanta.
 The passenger department of the Southern is good enough to say that much of this gratifying exhibit is due to the cordial and kindly cooperation of the press of Georgia and the South. and they most graciously extend at this Christmas season the happy assu- rance of their grateful recognition of the kindness and courtesies of the Southern newspapers.
 In response to which we cordially send back to these popular gentlemen and to all their colleagues and CO., workers the assurance of our high esteem and of our cordial wishes for a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
 Southern Versus l.. and N.
 A railroad authority stated yester- day that there is no doubt that on the first of the year the Southern Railway will refuse to switch shipments for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. At some places this is already the case. The Southern took a stand against switching coal cars to the mines on the Cow Creek branch of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad some weeks ago, says The Knoxville Sentinel
 It is stated that the Louisville and Nashville is anticipating this action and is preparing for it as fast as pos sible. Instead of the two roads work ing hand in hand and as one. as many thought would be the case, the indica- tions now are that there will be sharp skirmishing for traffic.
 It is now a mooted point as to whether or not one railroad can make another road switch a shipment. For instance, if a shipment should come oyer the Louisville and Nashville Rail- road to Knoxville, it is doubtful wheth- CT or not there Is any law to compel the Southern Railway to take the ship ment and set 1t for some person To- cated on its side track. especially when the customer could have used the | Southern Railway in the shipment. It will be a recalled that Jere BaX- ter tried to have law enacted by the Legislature which would compel one road to accept shipments from another and switch them to their destination. | This was especially to benefit the Ten nessee Central Railroad and compel the | shipments at Nashville. This law fail ed of enactment.
 About two years ago the Louisville | and Nashville Railroad refused to | switch a shipment to a consignee in Birmingham which shipment the South | ern Railway offered. The shipment was damaged and there Is a case pend ing before Chancellor Haynes of the | first judicial district involving the loss, | The shipper was a Jefferson County man. The case has been heard but a decision has not yet been rendered. | It would appear that if Chancellor Haynes should decide in favor of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad fin this case that he would decide against | the interests of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad in Knoxville, where the road will doubtless expect much switching service from the Southern Railway.
 If there is switching war to be fought out in Knoxville. the Southern Railway will apparently have the ad- vantage until the Louisville and Nash | to be expected that the Southern will building of the spur tracks and 1t Is by i no means certain that the railroad war is al an end in Knoxville and East Ten | nessee.
 | As an instance of what might result | from a decision of the Southern not to switch l.. and N. shipments; no coal i operator doing business on the L. and N. would be able to ship coal to any