The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-08
GREAT MEETING
OF BUSINESS Men
National organization to
Secure Better Freight
Traffic
DELEGATES COME
FROM FAR AND WIDE
Washington State, Texas, Ohio,
New York, Arkansas, Georgia,
Illinois and Other I'm
portant Sections
Were Repre-
sented.

Perhaps the most important and IN
huential gathering Of business mer
ever held south of Mason and Dixon.
line was that whioi assembled at Til.
Jefferson Hotel, in this city, yesterda,
and organized the National Freight
Service Association
The meeting was worked up quieu,
through correspondence, conducted
largely By Aessrs. 4. Peyton Giles, o
the Stephen Putney Shoe Compauy
and John DonDan, of the W. S. Don
nan Hardware Company, both OF Rich
mond, and the delegates were actuali,
on the ground before eitIer the pubti,
/ Or the transportation companies were
aware that they were coming.
The chief object of permanent or.
Hanlzation is to interest the freight
shippcrs and receivers throughout tn,
United states In systematic fight tt
secure better and Quicker transporta.
ton facilities through Legislation o,
otherwise. and nearly every great corr,
mercial and Industrial interest In tn,
country was represented
Officers Elected.
AT the afternoon session, when hour.
mad been devoted to discussion and /,
.,
cation was perfected by the eectio,
OF the following officers:
Presfdenf, II. PeytOn Giles, Rich
n,Ond.
First yice-Prcsidcnt, John Dom
nan, Richnond.
Second Vice-Presfdent. Douglas
Dn1Inni, New York
Executive Comrnittee-John G.,
Frecmnn tchnirmanD, Richmond,
G. 7. Johnkon, Canal Dover, o., v.
IL. Beckhnni, Semitic. WnsI,.;r Il. u.
Taylor, Rich,nond, John I.andstreet,
RfchinOnd. s
Legislative Committee--.John s.
finrw0Od teI,airmnn), Richmond.
$. U. HRstler, Ghiesso; S.. &. Riee,
Philadelphia.
Though there were only about forty
delegates actually present they rep.
resented nearly every section of tho
country. and all the great commercial
interests Delegates came from Wash.
ington State, Texas, Arkansas Georgia
Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, Wisconsin
Pennsylvania, New York. and other
States, and great business centres like
New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee,
Seattle. Dallas, Chicago. Atlanta and
Hichmond had delegates on the floor
After the creation of the association
the executive committee was Instructed
TO fix the duties of the members nj
once. and to employ competent Sec
retary and treasurer to conduct The
correspondence and handle the funds
Mr.. T. Peyton Giles, of this city, who
has been most active in inaugurating the
movement, presided throughout the
meeting. both az temporary and per.
fnanent president. and Mr.. John DON
nan. his faithful coworker, acted as
secretary
Morning Session.
Tho morning session was devoted
largely to speech-making. After Mr.
Giles called to order and the roll OF
delegates was made up, Mr.. Donnan
made a strong address on the difficul-
tles under which the shippers arc
IaDorinR, and gave his ideas as toshow
best to remedy these troubles,
Conditions confronting the shipper,
IN this country" he said, "have been
lnbearable, and the time has now
arrived when this subject should be
given the best thought, of the ner.
chants and manufacturers towards its
Boluison,' ~
Here Mr. Donnan read letters show
Ing the slow movement OF freight in
different sections, and said this meant
the loss Of hundreds of dollars to m !,
merchants
if congestion Is their cxcuset; III
exclaimed, referring to the raiIi5nds
let them explain why 1t Is that they
always manage to deliver promntly
carloads of fruit from California
peaches from Georgia, Watermelon
from Florida. or any other clu..s az
goods Of a perishable nature, for s.-bjc
they have to pay If spoiled; while hard
ware. drugs, dry goods and other non
perlshable freight are subject to sue
unreasonable delays.
The Real Cause.
mo, gentlemen" tho speaker con
uhueu' Ntle real cause of the delay is
not congestion, lack of equipment, o
sufi1ciently fast time with tho 4 =.
state shlpments while running, bur the
Iallroaas mold goods an unreasonable
tlne at the Initial points before start
ing.
AT every junction, division, termi.
nhl ana transfer point OF their own
roaas' SHIPMENTS are held up; and
aEain' When our goods reach transfer
points on other roads, these DELAYS are
more aggravated than ever. This last
ana more serious delay ia caused Nv
jealousy OF railroad systems. one ~
wards tho other and by their attempt
70 thwart each others business by each
refusing 10 handle promptly shipments
which originated on other systems.
Ine lime mas now arrived for us to
rise In our might, and sincerely trust
that this body will not hesitate to have
Its committee pass series or. tbe
strongest resolutions. for we have nov.
reached the critical period in our hls.
tory. - 'tsT
Therefore. unless the Interstat. /.
Commerce Commission is granted hy
y GOnHreSS tho nOWGr
with regard to this matter, the mar.,
chants and manufacturers of this coun !
try will continue to be nothing mora
than puppets in the hands of the rail-
roads. and 1t would he far better for us
to discontinue our business altogether
than 10 continue to suffer the intolcra-
(Continued on Twel1th p.rnN 'T