The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-29
RATE LAW WILL BE
 TESTED IN COURT
Robert Brown of HartSeIIe Files
 Damage Suit
REFUSED TO PAY 3 CENTS
Decatur and New Decatur Are Taking Much Interest In Deep Waterways Convention at Memphis and
 Will Send Delegates.

Decatur, September &-tSpecial)-Rob-
 ert Brown of Hartselle, has filed suit
 in the Morgan county law and equity
 court here against the Louisville and
 Nashville railroad in the sum of $l999 for
 alleged damages.
 So far as known this is the first case
 in Alabama that has been filed in the
 state effecting the new railroad laws,
 which laws have been the subject of so
 much discussion and so much contro-
 versy.
 A few days ago Mir. Brown was pas
 senger on a south bound Louisville and
 NaShViile train He told the conductor
 of the train Mir Arnold of Nashville. that
 he wanted to go to Cullman. and rendered
 the conductor two and a half cents
 mile from Decatur to Cullman, distance
 of thirty-three miles. Mr. Arnold re-
 fused to take this amount, saying he was
 instructed by the company to collect three
 cents mile. MT. Brown refused to pay
 the three-cent rate and at crossing
 some distance south of Hartselle MT Arnold stopped his train and put MT
 Brown off. Mr Brown did not enter the
 train again.
 Mir Browns attorney is John R. Sam pie one of the members of the state leg
 islature of this county. He lives at
 Hartselle. where he practices law.
 Some weeks ago Maj. W. H. Long of
 Decatur, the other member of the legisla-
 ture of this county. in a communication
 in the newspapers that he was advising his clients to offer the railroads two and a half cents a mile and if this was re- fused by the conductors for them to let the conductors put them off the train and then bring suit against the company Tor
 damages.
 Since this is the first case of this na-
 ture which has been filed in the courts of this county and so far known the only one of like nature that has been filed in the state the outcome of the case will be watched with more than usual interest
 The Morgan county law and equity court is now in session here and 1t is
 quite likely that this case will come
 up for trial at this term. Interest In Convention. Much interest is being manifested here in the meeting of the waterways con- vention which is to be held in Memphis next week. October and ,, and both De-
 caturs will send delegates to the con- Vention.
 It is understood here that the main ob- ject of the convention is to discuss and take some action on the proposed water connections of the great lakes with the Gulf of Mexico. This will meet with the hearty approval of the people of this section of the country, provided the obstruction of this canal will be sepa- rate and independent of the regular ap- propriation by Congress for the rivers and harbors of the country but if it is the intention of this convention to favor the construction of such a canal out of the
 regular appropriations for the rivers and harbors it would not meet with the ap- proval of the people of this section of the country and of the delegates who | will attend the meeting from North Ala bama
 The people here are very much inter ested in the improvement of the Tennes- see river and they would not favor the construction of canal connecting the lakes and the gulf if such a movement would in any way have a tendency to lessen or decrease the appropriations for the Tennessee river and other Alabama
 and southern rivers. At the same time. the people here realize the fact that tn construction of such canal would be of great importance and of much ben eft to the country, but they do not feel disposed to do any thing that would decrease the appropriations or retard tlie great work already commenced in the improvement of the Tennessee river and other southern rivers.