The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-15
gHE FREIGHT CONFERENCE.
"A satisfactory and Agreeble Inter
view With Coast Line Officials.
From the Daily Item Nov. 9.

From the Daily Item Nov. 9.
The special committee on freight
service of the Chamber Of Commerce
and about twenty other business men
met General Superintendent A. w.
Anderson and General Freight Agent
R. A. Brand, Of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Company at s o'clock
last night to talk over the complaints
against the Atlantic Coast Line about
the delay in shipping out cotton and
other freight from Sumter, and the
delay in delivering freight.
Chairman r. I. Manning, Of the
special committee, presided. Among
those present were Mayor G. ". Dick,
Aldermen R. F. Haynsworth, c. G.
Rowland Henry D. Barnett, P. P.
Finn. H. W. Hood, and Walter G.
Stubbs; City Recorder c. NJ.
Hurst, President j. M. Knight of
the Chamber of Commerce, Neili
s o'Donnell, H. J. Hardy, J. L. Alnut,
S a. D. Hardy, D. j. Chandler, II. G. Os-
teen, j. K Crosswell, J. W. McKeiver'
It. A. Moses, I. A. Ryttenberg. Z. j..
Jennings, E. F. Miller, a. }. St,lbbs,
J. r. Ligon, G. F. Epperson, H. f.
Milson, E. I. Reardon, NJ. II. Beck,
agent Cooper of the Atlantic Coast
Iilie Company. Chairmaa Manning
read two telegrams from General
manager w. N. Royal to the chairman
ard Secretary Reardon, expressing re-
s-r..ts at his inability to be present
witt. Messrs. Anderson alao Brand.
and promising improved service ct
Sumter which he said Mas,rs. Ander-
sor and Brand would $50 would be
arranged for at once.
Mr.. Manning then said to the rail-
road officials that the Chamber OF
Commerce and the citizens of Sumter
had asked for friendly conference
with the officials because experience
had shown that the Atlantic Coast
line officers were courteous, obliging
and friendly to our city, and that
Sumter was friendly to the Atlantic
Coast Line and all railroads and CO.
operations. He then related the trou-
baes about congestion of cotton and
ether freight at Sumter and nearby
stations since September, 1905, and
showed what injury the business men
<of Sumter had sustained by the de-
fciency Of cars and general poor
freight service at this point. He then
called on the members of the special
committee, Messrs. Neill O'Donnell,
John K. Crosswell, D. j. Chandler, j.
IL Alnut and E. I. Reardon.
These gentlemens' remarks We're
mostly a resume Of the complaints in
detail heretofore made at meeting
<ef November before the railroad
commission with the happy exception
that all remarked that there has been
noticeable improvement in the
freight service.
Mr.. J. Z. Alnut, who at the meeting
of November 8 was the most severe in
his condemnation of the Atlantic
Coast Line Company's service, spoke
very favorably Of the great improve
nnent in the depot within the past
week. He thought that if such an
Improvement is possible in so short
time. that the service could have been
good all the time, and should be in
the future.
Remarks were then made by
Messrs. A. w. Crosswell, II. J. Hardy,
J. w. McKeiver, H. G. Osteen, NJ. H.
Beck, j. M. knight, G. F. Epperson.
A. D. Hardy, l. A. Ryttenberg, H. D.
Barnett, Neill O'Donnell, C. G. Row
land, r. F. Haynsworth, Agent Coop
er and others.
Mr.. H. ]. Hardy thought that the
whole trouble about cotton and other
fraight congestion was due to the TACT
that the Atlantic Coast Line does not
properly appreciate the importance OF
Sumter as cotton market and as
commercial centre, and did not now,
nor never had had the proper equip
ment for handling the business at
Sumter. The Atlantic Coast Line, he
said, has forgotten the fact that Sum-
ter had outgrown the primitive busi-
ness methods of small cross roads
town, and that the Atlantic Coast Line
cannot handle the freight business of
Sumter Of today with the same force
and equipment it did five years ago.
Mr.. G. F. Epperson broke the rec
ord by declaring that he had no COM
plants to make against the Atlantic
Coast Line. Everything was satisfac-
tory and very pleasant.