The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-10
VII L|AMS AND
BARR CLASH|NC
]. M. Barr Says Williams
Skinned Seaboard.
CHARGES OF WILLIAMS
John Shelton Williams Says Barr's
Statements Are Not True and His
Management Has Been Dis
loyal or Incompetent--.To
Continue Fight.

l d.,
is Witnessing a great discussion be-
| tween the former and the present
| president of the Sea board Air Line.
| John SHELTON Williams has written
various articles which have involved
| j. M. Barn. and many remarks have
been made Of such a character as 10
require response from the latter.
| NIr. Bars Statement.
Mr.. Barr deemed it necessary TO re-
ply 10 MIR. Williams attacks. He
| has mailed to each stakeholder
copy of his reply. After reciting the
charges made by Mr.. Williams, Mr.
'"rhe East and West Railroad
| was bought by Mr.. Will
| Hams, acting for the Seaboard Air
| Line Railway. before surveys and cS-
| innate Of cost were made u deter
mine whether or not it could be made
| a part of a practicable through line
| between Atlanta ana Birmingham, rs
proposed His attention was called
To this fact by me in the presence or
others u?,on the day and Immediately
| before the purchase was made. IN
| revising its line to secure q through
| | per cent line between the points
named 612 miles thereof were
abandoned and taking into consid-
| Grafton the cost of revising the grade
| line Of that part of the east ana
| West Railroad, which now forms q
part of the line between Atlanta ana
/ birmingham, said railroad contribut-
ed to the construction of such through
| line only to the extent Of the Valne OIL
! the rail and ties removed therefrom
| and placed in track on the reVlslons
| thereof.
"The work of construction of the
| Atlanta and birmingham line was or
dered begun by MIR. Williams before
surveys were completed, before an
J estimate of the cost was made and be-
fore any provision was made Tor
money for such construction.
1.-THE cost of the birmingham lne'
| exclusive of terminals. when COM
pleted, will, according to engineer
estimate of October Is, 1904, exceed
Mr.. Williams estimate, $4,461. 442.35,
| or142 per cent. This estimate was
made by him without any eXamha-
ton of the country between Atlanta
Land Birmingham. except such as
could be made from the rear end of
passenger train on the line of the
| East and West Railroad between
Rockmart and Coal City.
Saws Road Was skinned"
Tn conclusion. Mr.. Barr says:
son October G, 1903, Mr.. Williams,
apprehending a contest for control OF
the Seaboard Air Line Railway be-
| tween himself and Messrs Ladenburg
Thalman & Co, b. f. Yoakum. H. {.
Pierce and others, wrote me WIFI lo-
spect thereto.
| II was present at the first interview
had between Mr.. Williams and Messrs
Thomas F. Ryan and James A. bar
when the former applied to the latter
for aid for the Seaboard Ar LING
| &1Jl hi
furnish the aid asked by him under
certain conditions Mr.. Williams said
| 10 me that the gentlemen named de-
manded that he, Mr.. Williams, re-
linouish the presidency of the sea-
board Air Line Railway ana tnaI l
take his place, and asked me II lllis
was satisfactory to me. | said: IT is
| satisfactory to me if it is to you; If 1t
is not satisfactory TO YOU 1t is not 10
! me Mr. Williams replied that it was
satisfactory 20 hlm.
"Tt was definitely agreed with Mr.
| Williams. at the time l took charge
of the Seaboard Air Line Railway FOR
lis operation. that if / found reduc-
ton in the cost of service could DC
made by grade revisions or by pro
yiding necessary facilities for /fhe
economic handling of business
money would be provided taerefor;
/ This has not been done. When
hnl1
found it to be in bad physical con-
,ition. and it was being skinned for
The purpose of making a showing. II
tho methods then in effect mad Decl
continued it would have been inpoS-
SibIc to move trains safety over me
road. The work OF improving ING
nronprty was Immediately begun ana
i,ae hann carried forward SyStemau-
caIN since. This has been done.
however. without the support OF MI
Williams. who desired instead that i
showing be made which would m
crease the market value OF the com.
nanv's securities at the expense OF
/ the property
Mr.. Williams Reply,
John SkcIton Williams today gave
! ont the following statement in reply
10 the statement of Mr.. Barr:
This matter is far larger than any
personal question between Mr.. Barr
and myself. What / have Said OF
MIN wae necessary to show the stock
holders that the Seaboard properties
5 under his control we're not intelll-
! GENTLY and fairly administered, that his
management and reports have not
given these properties fair opportunity
To demonstrate their real worm ana
1 that most OF the misfortune AZ
/ tending them were the direct results
of his miSmanagement, nlls-S!aIelhelltS
I and faulty calculations.
"These charges constitute the rea!
ana the one important issue. Nothing
is TO be gained by endless discussion
of matters Of detail or by prolonged
recriminatiOns.
MIR. Barr cannot disprove what
have said of him by falsely charging
as he has done, my firm or myself
with receiving commissions on Savan-
nah and Statesboro bonds, with skin
ming the Seaboard or with attempting
to lease a building in Richmond at a
low rate to q property in which wei
are interested All these are aside
from the issue. Apparently he is
trying TO divert attention from that is
sue by forcing us on the defensive.
He will not be allowed to DO this,
'.It is impossible in this short no.
tice and in newspaper space to analyze
and reply in detail to Mr.. Bars so
phistical defense. That will be done
as quickly as possible. l will be |