The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-03-14
TO CUT OUT TRAINS
Southern to Make Change in
Passenger Service.
TO DECREASE EXPENSES
Order Goes Into Effect Sunday, March
24tn. According to Authentic Re-
port-Cesai!s Are Being
Withheld.

According to the Atlanta CoAstitu-
ton arrange ments are being made for
the dropping off Of a number OF pas
scuger trains on the Southern rail
way on March "a, and these in
position to know state that these
plans will affect the Atlanta division
particularly. Except for the informa-
tion that a number OF passenger
trains are to be cut of, none Of de-
tails could be learned.
The cutting down of expenses is
given as the reason TO: this contem-
plated cut. So far as the service is
concerned, it is a matter or general
knowledge that so heavy has been
the passenger traffic lately that the
present number of trains has really
been inadequate for the handling OF
tie business. For this reason, it
seems a difficult problem to under
stand just how the Southern railway
will be able to still handle its pres
ent passenger business with even few
er trains than they now operate, es-
pecially in face OF the fact that this
passenger business is constantly
growing.
No reasons have been given fo- the
cutting down Of expenses, but in At
lanta railroad circles, where the COM
ing cut on March "a is being discuss
ell, it is generally believed that fears
OF. the part of the railroad eXecu-
tiycs regarding coming legislation is
principally responsible for this cur
tailnent of passenger trains. 1t is the
oriniou Cf several passenger officials
that the railroads mean to put the
public on notice that any drastic
legislation will be met with curtailing
the present service and equipment
which is being provided.
In other words, there are many Of
ficials who insist that if Georgia Leg
islates 4 2-cent> per mile passenger
rate. the railroads will retailiate by
giving a much cheaper equipment and
a schedule with comparatively but
a few trains where now many are
operated. The plans which are being
made for the coming cut IS thus eX-
plained as the first move by the rail-
roads to put the public on notice as
to what they intend to do in case OF
drastic legislation on the part OF
Georgia.
Another reason. which is given for
the cutting out of some OF the pas
senger trains on the Southern rail-
way is because Of the tremendous in
crease in the amount of the ope1at-
ing expenses of the road. Very re-
Gently the conductors, trainmen,
switchmen and other employees have
received increases Of wages, While
the telegraph operators and signal
men have applied for such an in
crease and have been assured that
their petition will be granted to the
extent of a substantial increase, and
the locomotive engineers are prepar'
ing to make similar demands.
The railroads also state that their
operating expenses in other ways, ma
terials, etc., have increased tremen-
dously, and while the monthly reports
skow big. increases in revenues, these
increases in the expenses are such as
to have cut down the net profit very
materially. The railroads declare that
as the prices of living expenses, cloth
ing and practically in every other line
Of business have been increased, II
is impossible for the railroads to be
the ore exception in this era OF un-
precedented prosperity, and in the
face Of greater expenses be expected
to reduce railroad fares. For which
reason the Southern railway is pre-
pairing to even up matters by reduc-
ing expenses by cutting out some OF
the passenger trains.