The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-13

ple.n It will be remembered that we had but
one passenger train a day each way over the
road, up 10 about ten years ago.
AS y member of the Legislature recently
charged that the trains do not now run as
fast ss they were run in Mr.. T. e.. Perrin's
presidency from 1856 TO 1865. we make notes te
include the lime Of his presidency:
In 1857.
Trains left Columbia at Z 80 a. m, and ar
rived In Greer Vile at 5 p. In. Time, 8 hours
and ~ minutes.
Trains left Columbia at $50 a. m, arrived In
Vile at 4.SO p. m. Time, 8 hours.
In 1856.
Trains lett Columbia al 100 a. M, arrived IN
Greenville s 10 p. M. Time, 10 hours.
In 1872.
Trains left Columbia 745 a. m arrived In
Greer Vile 6 10 p. m. Time, 10 hours and 80
minutes.
Trains left Columbia 100 a. M, arrived In
GreenvilIe ass p. m. Time. 9 hours and IS
min utes.
In 1898.
Trains left Charleston al 7.10 q. M. and ar
rived In Greenville about 4 O'Clock. Time
from CHARLESTON 8 hours, or less than II
formerly took trains TO run from Columbia to
Greenville.
Trains left Columbia Ills a. No., arrived In
Greenvi!le sos p. m. Time, S hours ~ MIN
utes.
Trains leave Columbia 8 p. M arrive IN
G~reenville 90 p. n. Time, 8 hours and III
minutes.
EXPRESS PACKAGES Ella TRAINS.
The express business Is now a cause ioi
much greater stoppage and consequent delay
OF trains than IN former years. The express
bus.ne ss has increased enormously within the
last ten years. Only a short time ago. ar-
thorlties ordered trainmen to make q note Of
the exact time OF stoppage of the train at the
different stations between Columbia and
Greenville. In the aggregate the train wa.
standing 81 minutes, TO deliver express pack
ages, and all Of which time WAS taken from
the schedule for running trains.
Before the Southern united our railroadt
Into one management. the cars we're small
aud poor. .
Freight cars are now from two to five times
the capacity OF the cars Of forty years ago.
The passenger coaches we're then such that
no road would put them on Its track today.
Fifteen years ago 1t took the Abbevi lie train
about an hour TO run between Abbeville and
Hodges. We had for a long time only ont
train q day out of Abbeville. Passengers
then had TO walt at Hodges for the single
train that came from Columbia and went W
the road.
Away back In the good old days, the time
and expense of a trip TO Charleston In rickety
coaches was about as much as it now Ia to
New York In splendid coaches.
In the good old times II a man had busin esq
in Columbia, three days were necessary to
mako the trip. One to 60, one 10 attend to
business, and one to come home. We now
run down to Columbia, attend to busin ess
and return the same day.
The passenger fare is now but a fraction OF
what II was then.
In the good old days. the railroads we're not
npe red In the management Of their bust
ness. No railroad commission required the
to give the consignee three days In
which to unload q car Of lumber. or a car OF
guano, or a car OF anything else. This re-
ouIrement Of the railroad commission ties up
- .xo-h ~ .,oL ~ a.tnnt fhat The
at the stations are scarcely suff-
to hold the cars. II has been said tina,
cars ave been necessarily held at
Hodges for q time because OF lack OF side
trackage at Abbevi!le.
In the good old days, the railroads were moi
required to store goods for three days free OF
cost. The railroads were not then In the
business.
The requirement to give storage for 8 load
Of guano for three days Is no more reasonable
than to require the roads to surrender their
coaches TO be used by passengers as
apartments during their stay In
town.
We have seen the statement that the roads
have cars and sidetrscks enough, II it we're
not for the fact that the railroad commission
arbitrarily and without reason, requires the
to give every oonsignee three days
use OF q box car In which TO store goods, and
to unload the same.
We have also seen the statement that ow-
ing to the fact of the commission requiring
three days surrender OF cars, they are moving
but a small part Of the time. For instance
Only a few hours is required to transport a
load OF guauo from Anderson, or a load OF
lumber from Columbia to Abbeville. Then
is the justice of requiring the surren-
der Of that car for three days that ought 10 be
un!oaded in three hours?
Our good brother at Anderson seems TO for
get that the same bondholders or stockhold
ers who look for dividends, will also look ar
ter those trusted servant who are expected
TO serve the public. The railroads pay larger
'arge salaries may be depended upon to COM
mand the best talent and the most efficient
We have not seen the tracks OF the South
ern recently, and II we had passed over the
road, we possibly would not be able to Judge
Of their condition. We do know. huwever,
In the good old days, some OF the track
Of the Greenvllle and Columbia railroad was
laid With strap iron. or fiat iron, about the
and weight Of wagon tires. This fiat iron
nailed 10 a log lying lengtbwise OF the
track. A track-walker followed the trains to
knock down the SNAKE heads"
Our recollection Is, that In the good old
days. the schedule time about Honea Path,
over the strap iron, was nine miles an hour.
The Abbeville depot IL as nlre a structure
30 we could Wish. 1t took the place OF the old