The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-07-25
SUMTER. s. c.. WEDNESDAY. JULY 25 1906

business to keep this. appointment as
he does if he has an appointment in
the city OF New York. It is an i'm
possibility for one from such a section
Of the State to go to Columbia on busi-
ness taking any time without being
away from his home two nights and
from his place of business practically
two days.
Like conditions prevail with refer
e1:ce to travel between other sections
of the State anG Columbia, as also
with reference to the travel to Char
le ton.
For further illustration: On the
main line of the Southern railway, if
citizens Of Greenyille or Spartanburg
er other towns similarly situated de-
sire to visit these towns, though the
distance be only a few miles, it cannot
be done b. railroad travel without its
being necessary either to leave home
| before daylight or to return in the
early hours of the subsequent morn
ing.
Even in such cases, a traveller de-
string to go, say from Greenville to
spartanburg, is dependent upon the
schedule Of trains travelling 1000
| miles; and with the irregularity Of
schedules which have prevailed in re-
cent years, this condition has now be-
/ come unbearab BILE.
It is proposed by this association,
therefore, to endeavor to secure from
the railroads better facilities for local
travel, and to secure a recognition Of
the general view that there should be
| local trains for local travel.
2. The length Of time now con-
sumed in going from one section Of
the State to another is unreasonable.
It would seem to be a reasonable eX-
| pectation that with the increased trav-
Ell Of the State, conditions Of travel
should be improved, rather than 9TH
erwise; yet everyone knows that these
conditions have become more incon-
venient in recent years. When de-
| mands have been that the railroads
comply with their own schedules these
| demands have been met by the rail-
roads showing ither perfect indeffer-
ence to demand or making changes
which were more adverse to the pub
lie. For illustration: When demand
was made Of the Southern railway
that they keep in some degree their
schedules between Columbia and the
upcountry, they met this demand by
| increasing the schedule Of time con-
sumed for such travel, and by break
| ing connections which are convenient
| even allowed themselves, in some in
| stances, more than au hour and q half
to make distances Of less tian thirty
miles and by such increased allowance
| broken connections which We're essen
tial to convenience Of the public. The
time now consumed III going from
| Charleston or Columbia 20 the up
| country is more than it was 20 years
ago, AMI this conditions is rendered
necessary. so it is claimed by the rail
~eads, be"ause .teir rolling stock and
their roadoeds are unable to accom-
modate quicker travel.
3 The railroad commission Of this
State, and its legislature, have after
careful consideration Of the subject,
| provided e. maximum time which
should be consumed in the transporta-
| ton of freight between points within
this State. The railroads utterly fail
to regard such provisions of law, and
there is the greatest uncertainty in
| the delivery of freight. It is no COM
mon thing for weeks to be consumed
in the transportation Of freight from
one point in the State to another
point.
4. Charleston is the chief seaport Of
this state, and has today harbor un-
excelled along the Atlantic Seaboard.
It is a reasonable expectation of the
citizens OF the State thai snme ad-
vantage should accrue to them from
the proximity Of the communities to
this important seaport, but the rail
roads have so manipulated their
freight rates as to bring about no ad-
vantage at all. On the contrary
freight rates are based with regard to
seaports in other States, and without
any effort to encourage traffic through
our own chief seaport Practically
without exception the railroads in this
State have been built with the money
OF the people Of this State. and for the