The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-12-28
NJ. rteWIlIiams COrrsets.

Editor True DemOcrat-As you con-
led the Sopchoppy correspondence from
the Carrabelle Advertiser, will you
please publish the following communi;
cation, as II was unjust to our road and
Is misleading:
9Th you have an article In the Adver-
tiaar' by special correspondent from
gonehonpy. In reference TO the organi-
xakion of a steamboat line to ply the
Sonehoppy and Crooked rivers. Pc
euiiar feature In this article. however,
10 which would call your attention, is
that II IL misleading as 70 that portion
referring 10 the relations OF recent date
between the Georgia, Florida q Ala
bsma Railway Company and the own
ara of the steamship Tarponi ana II Is
evident that your correspondent, IN
writing the article, vas not iamllsr
with the circumstances which Drought
about the present condition OF analrs.
Az a matter of fact, our experience
aver aimee We entered into business re-
iatIonS with the steamer TarpOn has
been very unsatisfactory, and l think
the merchants along our line will cor
roborAte this statement fully, inasmuch
e Il was almost impTactlcable TO get
shipmsnts through from Mobile to PEN
sacola TO @. r. a A. stations which
were not either more or less damaged
or partly short. In addition 20 this,
within the last six months there has
hardly been single trip when shippers
AZ Mobile and Pensacola have not Of
fered freight for transportation TO q.
r. "A. Ry. stations which have not
been refused on that particular trip,
either wholly or in part, by the Tarpon,
on account Of their inability TO handle
them. Being aware that this condition
Of affairs worked serious hardship to
our patrons along our line, we took up
with the tarpon management vigorously
the question Of giving better service
and handling the freight In a more sat
isfactory manner. Our appeals and re-
quests for Improvement seem TO have
borne NO fruit, matters gradually grow.
ing from bad to worse.
The management OF the G. +. q A.
Ry. Co have made several attempts TO
meet the management OF the "Tarpon,
ia order 10 come 90 some arrangement
whereby freight might be handled
promptly and satisfactorily but the
"Tarpon" management never appeared
At any OF these meetings On Novem-
Der 18th, without any previous intima-
ton to the G., +. a. A. Ry, Co., the
"Tarpon" advised TINS company that 1t
would deliver 20 our line the last ship
ment for points reached via the & +. 4
A. Ry. on December 9th, and letter Of
that date also advised that they can
celled all rates In effect. Under the
circumstances there was nothing else
for Va TO do but notify our agents
through circular Of the fact that the
"Tarpon" had withdrawn their rates
and divisions.
Now in reference to the efforts Of the
@. + n A. Ry. 20 afford satisfactory
service from Gulf ports TO G, +. e. A.
Ry. points, will advise that the man
agement has by correspondence and
conference, extending over period Of
not less than six months, been making
strenuous endoaVors 10 induce some
lines operating out OF these ports, 10
Join us In rates via CArrabelle, and our
efforts are In q fair way 10 meet with
some measure of success within the
next thirty or sixty days.
While the G. +, & A. Ry. manage
ment extends TO shippers and consum.
ers at sopchoppy and other points along
SIS line lis best wishes for the success