The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-24
RAILROAD WORLD.

Il do not think that the people in
America have any complaint about the
railroad service when it is compared with
that which l experienced In Europe"
said J. S. b. Thompson, general agent of
the Southern railway in Atlanta, who was
in Birmingham yesterday for the first
time since returning from his trip abroad.
THE cost of travel in Europe is in ex-
cess of the cost in this country pas
senger is not as comfortable in Europe
as in America, and the excess paid on
baggage amounts to good deal
The hrst-oass travel IN Europe is
very expensive-much more so than in this
country. In addition to that a person has
to pay excess on baggage that greatly
Increases the cost of travel For In
stance on a hand bag, Wilson Brown
had to pay the equivalent of 40 cents for
an hour and half's ride on boat The
same baggage in this country would so
free from end to end of the land
THE officials and employees receive
much lower pay than in the United States.
The difference IN the pay of the employees
is marked but Of course the cost of living
is less in Europe than in this country.
Well we had a great time. There
were a number of Birmingham people In
| Europe. Wilson Brown and myself were
together most of the time Yes. the story
about my losing my watch on the Wy
back is true. l hope to recover 1t. for it
was very valuable time piece and there
We're certain associations that made me
prize it greatly. The watch was given my
| ia bV tho an,nlovaa of a raflroad in
Virginia years ago. 1t was solid gold,
the works were of the very finest. 1t
struck the hours and was split second
time piece. 1t was hanging in my vest
pocket in my state room and was stolen
during the night. Carroll Payne lost over
$500 the same night and in the same way
In regard to the railroad business |
know little l have been away for some
time and not in touch with what
has been going on. l heard that Mr.. Nc
Manus was going to resign and go into
the coal business, but 1 do not know any
thing about it. All / know is what l have
seen in the newspapers"
Mr.. Thompson was en- route to Mlssiss-
ippl and will be back in Birmingham about
the middle of this week He visited the
site of the new union passenger station
with Walter Harrison, engineer in charge
of construction. Mr.. Thompson and Will
son Brown were together for half an
hour yesterday swapping stories about
their experience in Europe.
A meeting of the Alabama Car Service
association was held Saturday morning
in the office Of Major Moody manager of
the association. number of matters of
routine interest were discussed, but moth
ing of importance to the public was trans
acted.
Several out of town superintendent
were in the city, among them being II.
B. Crawford of the Central of Georgia
and A. d. Lightner of the Frisco.
D. w. Lum. chief engineer of MAIN
tenanee of way and structures OF the
Southern, was In Birmingham Saturday
in connection with the work on the new
freight house and other matters that the
Southern has up.
| L. Sewer, general freight agent. and
R. E. Boswell superintendent, both of
the Alabama Great Southern. are in Chat
tanooga today.
The Railway World says:
| After several hearings on the petition
of the Southern railway and other car
rlers operating in terriotory east of the
Mississippi river and south of the Ohio
and Potomac rivers for permission to
equalize export rates on cotton, cotton-
seed and its products. and thereby make
| changes In their export rates on those
commodities without the thirty days
natlce required by the new rate law, the
| interstate commerce commission held that
carriers may legally issue through bills
of lading from the interior point of ship |
ment to a foreign delgtnation which !
specify the inland rate to the port of ex- /
port and the ocean rate from the port of |
export, even though no Joint through rate |
is published.
The commission ordered that no pub |
lished rates on cotton shall be advanced |
except upon thirty days notice; that on |
and after this date and until March /. |
1907, carriers may reduce their published |
export rates on cotton to the various
ports of export upon three days notice,
and that until November /. 1860 carriers
| may continue to equalize export cotton
rates through the various ports by APP |
plying to the lowest combination through !