The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-08-18
THE SUN

plan on foot whereby the lnterchahSo u"ons
he very greatly increased, and at a point more
convenient for the Coast Line and the st. johns
River Terminal Co., and away from the congesteu
portion of the Jacksonville Terminal Co.'S prope:
ty; whereas, as It is, we have to block very I'M
portant street in making the intercnanges o1
traffic.
Q-Have you got sufficient track room In your
terminals? Al will say that under norman cou-
ditions our track room will take cars OF all the
business coming In over the Southern ana the
G. s. & r., as well as that coming from our CON
nections. but at the present time our car tracks
are badly congested, and not sufficiently long TO
care for the business that Is being ofered.
Q-How long has It been since the conditions
you refer to were normal' A-Well, ! shoulo
say up to November everything moved along very
smoothly
Q-Last November? A-Last November. In
the fall there came congestion and we were badly
congested up to the first Of January, and then this
lumber rush came on and we have been pretty
well filled up ever since ....
Q-Do you consider any prospect OF the busl'
ness going back. to what you consider normal?
WELL that Is hard to answer. The business OF
Jacksonville is increasing very rapidly, and we
are trying to prepare ourselves to meet 1t.
Q-HOw long. has 1t been increasing? Al
have been here two years and 1t has been on a
gradual increase ever since have been here.
Q-And during those two years what has your
company done to keep up with the increase? A
] have put in tracks to accommodate about 50
cars. / have authorized now $11 900 worth Of
tracks, that are in course Of construction but the
work Is slow on account OF labor conditions
Q-How long will it be before you have these
increases and facilities? Al think we will have
Increased yard room for $50 cars inside of six
months
Q-Mr Pierce how about what has been said
here with reference to your switch engines? Are
they adequate to take care of your business? A
Entirely so think will say that in May Of last
year we handled on the st. Johns River Terminal
CO. between six and seven thousand cars We
did that easily with two engines full time and one
engine half time.
Q-And you don't think you need more motive
power at present? Al certainly do not. was
discussing the question of putting on another
yard engine the other day and the man in charge
OF the yard said It would not do bit of good that
ne had all the engines he could work to advan.
tage.
Q-Then you have not got track room enough 10
handle any more yard engines? A-Not as much
as would like. have got ample track room to
handle the business OF the G. s. & f. and the
Southern but the majority OF the business we are
trying to handle now Is delivered to me by our
connections
Q-You are in the business for that, aren't you?
A-Weh l am trying to take care of 1t as best
can. don't think though that we are supposed
to prepare terminals for all our competitors in
Jacksonville.
Q-You hold yourselves up as terminal conf,
pany, and as taking transfers from other roads
Snd other people? Ayes sir
Q-Then isn't It your business to have suficien.
facilities for handling all the business offered 20
you? A-Well, wouldn't like to say that Il Is
The st. Johns River Termil al Co. is operated for
the beneht OF the Southern and G.. s. & F. roads.
to take care Of their business
Q-Why does 1t 60 into the terminal business
for other people then? A-well Just like one
road exchanges trafic with another, we drifted
into IT, and we are trying not to retard the bust.
ness Of the city.
Git seems to me that you are retarding the
progress OF the city by not providing yourselves
with sumcient track room with which to properiv
handle this business. Al will state this, that
even now, II the lumber and cross ties were NOV.
ed on the docks, that our facilities are adequate
Q-Do you place cars as they are ordered;
A-As Tar as we can. Oftentimes we fail
Q-You heard the statement of Mr., Cuette
here yesterday that he could unload cars n yo
would place them? Ayes SIR
Q-Well, why don't you place Mr.. Gullette,s
cars? A-Under the present conditions NJ
resident 1t is physical imposslbility.
Ibecause you haven't got the track room IN
switch them? Ave haven't got the dock room
to discharge them. ~A 'oo'n
don't know. ~ a