The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-10-27
Advertising Rates on Application
Sunday. October II, 1907.
REPLIES TO
TO CRITICISM
Editor Morning Times:


Editor Morning Times:
Noting your editorial of this morn
ing's issue relative to inter-road
switching, as l wish TO place this mat
ter before our business interest in
its proper light. / would thank you
to give this article space in your pa
per
We have never refused to switch
cars or can we refuse to- switch them
to firms in the city with private side
tracks. This arrangement is covered
by regular published tariff and on
file with the state and interstate rail
road commissioners. But where par
ties are located on a private siding
then we will not switch cars from
the Connections. / beg to say there
is no quarrel between the two roads,
but the matter of switching cars from
one railroad to another and making
a charge for it is covered by switch
ing tariff which can be inspected by
anyone at my office, and to do switch
ing for firms not having private sid
ings, | doubt it it can be done with
out violating the interstate commerce
commission law, if such cars origi-
mated outside OF the state of Mis-
sissipp We have constructed var
ious sidetracks along our Greenville
yards and we need these tracks to
take care of our own business instead
OF furnishing track room to our com
petitors The law Is very plain on
this line and plainly reads that no
conrnton carrier is required to fur
nish track room for another. To
use our team and sidetracks for the
use OF another common carrier would
place the burden of maintaining these
tracks at a heavy cost on us, merely
to collect a switching charge of two
dollars per car and leave the compel
ing line III a position where they
would not require TO furnish team or
track facilities. With the above rea
sons given We will not place cars
from the Southern Ry. to be unlOaded
or our team or sidetracks. To do 50,
would afford the means Of cernpct.
ing againss our own line to the ad
vantage OF The competitor. The sans
case would apply if one merchan;
would be required to share his barns
with his competitors.
The machinery mentioned is for q
brick yard which is located on the
compress track, at this time of ths
year We use the compress track a
often during the day asthe switch en-
gines can get to them, putting in and
taking out loads. To attempt to share
this track with others at the presenr
time, would delay the prompt hand
ling of cotton shipments, and bring
down storm of protests from ths
cotton consignees, and while waiting
to get the cotton into press by any
obstruction To that track IN case the
cotton market went off. this COMPANY
would be presented with a claim foi
the difference in price 'on account o
delay. as machinery has 10 be vers
carefully handled while unloadine
and will not permit being bumped o.
struck by other cars. If we allowed
coal cars 10 be unloaded on this tract
IT would be necessary 10 first 60 i
with an engine, pick mp the car o
cars, bring them out to the main line
place the cotton 10 the compress
come back and place the coal cars 10
unloading. This same switcl,in.
would have 10 be repeated. each tim
the switch engine pulled the press
We are and have always been willn.
10 afford any faSors possible to tn
business interests 81 the city But i;
this case 1t would simply be workin.
hardship on number of cotto1
merchants, the compress and or
selves and II Is not good policy t,
attempt one of the impossibilities q
this kind and | am compelled TO ad
wise everyone that we will not d
switching on the compress track a
this season other than cotton an
coal, consigned to the compress.
Yours respectfully,
A. Fl. Davis, agent.