The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-28
RAILROAD CANNOT
 REDUCE ITS RATE An Interesting Complication In
 State Commission INJUNCTI0NS INTERFERE Owing To Extension of Corona Accom- modaton To Columbus Two Trains
 On the Southern May
 Be Taken Off.

Montgomery December 27.-(Special)- The peculiar situation has arisen in Ala bama that a railroad company is not allowed to reduce a rate though 1t has asked permission of the railroad com mission to do so. By ruling just made, the Western of Alabama Is not authorized to cut the rate on canned goods from Auburn to Montgomery, in order to aid the cannery at the first named place to compete with other more favorable To- calities. This Is result of the tie-up of the state by the injunction orders of the United States court.
 Cannot Reduce Rate.
 General Freight Agent E. T. Eckles of the Western of Alabama wrote the com mission, asking for authority to make rate of 2S cents per hundred on canned goods between the points mentioned in- stead of 37 cents, now, the idea being to allow that place to meet competition. Secretary Kennedy, replying for the com miSsion, said that this could not be done and secure justice to all alike. While there would be no prohibition against al lowing this rate to be reduced, the com mission has not the right to lower some other rate which 1t might find necessary in order that one community be not given advantage over another
 Reason For 1t.
 While 1t has been the policy of the commission writes MT. Kennedy, In re- ply to the letter of MT. Eckles, ito con sider favorably applications of this kind, where found necessary at the present time, on account of certain injunetions in the federal court restraining the conn mission relative to rate adjustments, 1t cannot see its way clear to authorize the reduced rates that you apply for The commission, of course, might find some other point that was equally entitled to reduction of rates on account of certain competition that might prevail, and, as above stated the commission on account of the injunctions would be unable to grant the necessary relief; therefore, the commission declines to authorize the re- duction that you request"
 Wonderful Litigation.
 Thus it is seen that wonderful things come out of the litigation that is now before the courts The point taken in this case Is that the reduction here might be detrimental to some other point, and, being unable to take any action with gard to that other point or points, hurt to interests now established would follow. The commission is restrained from mak- HE OT eHlOrclHB any Oruer tndL WOulV result in any way in the reduction of the revenue of the lines interested. For this reason the commission is going slow on all things, seeing in possible action complications that may mean trouble and loss in the future.
 Passenger Service.
 Secretary Kennedy of the railroad com mission has written J. s. B. Thompson, assistant to the president of the South ern railway, advising agalngs taking off certain passenger trains now sought to be removed as matter of economy about January 5. It is hoped that with the suggestions made, no service will be cut out that cannot be taken care of pretty well by other trains which are now In service.
 The officials desired to leave off Nos. 21 and 22 between Anniston and Birming- ham; 37 and SS between Birmingham and Columbus, Miss; 23 and "A between Rome, Ga., and Wilton, the desire being to stop the train at Childersburg, as before; II and 12 between Selma and Akron.
 Mir. Kennedy suggests that as there is good service between Anniston and Bir- mingham on the Louisville and Nash vile, and the Southern promises to han dle local work on three through trains each way a day, the Anniston-R -Rirming- ham train might be left off. However, he says the commission would insist that if the through trains are to do local work they must be kept at least within an hour of schedule time
 Extend Corona Train.
 By reason of the extension of what is known as the Corona accommodation to Columbus, Miss. the service between that place and Birmingham would not be bad ly hurt by taking off 37 and 38, hence 1t is not opposed. It Is not thought, however, that the Wilton train should be stopped at Childersburg. MT. Kennedy points out that one train may be taken off from Wilton to Selma and have good service, as the Birmingham Selma train would supply the deficiency He also says that the commission could not see its way clear to allow one train taken off between Akron and Selma, as 1t would cripple the service too generally to be thought of if at all possible to pre- vent 1t.
 MT. Kennedy who is an old Southern railway man, makes a number of sug- gestons In the way of shifting crews and trains out of which 1t is thought plans may be reached to reduce the expenses at this time and at the same time keep the trains running along fairly well.
 To Hear Arguments.
 me whole matter VIII likely be taken up at a meeting of the commission soon It is notable that no trains are to be taken off in North Alabama, nor along many of the divisions of the Southern. though 1t is thought that many of them are going to run short of revenue for the next few months. The railroad com pany insists that they will have to have relief. but 1t Is a fact that they are willing to do all they can to keep the service up to the best possible.
 Pitiable Case.
 A tfmid knock fell upon the door of Mayor Teagues office this morning and a hesitating small boy entered upon in- vitation. and announced that his mama wanted to see the mayor. A woman per- haps 30 years old bearing about her the evidences of poverty and distress came in and poured out narrowing story into the mayors ear.
 Her name, she said, was Edna Ras- beary. She and her Husband and three children had lived at Dothan Her hus- band had gone away and left her without food or even shelter Good people had fed her and otherwise helped and had paid her way to Birmingham. Her par ents live in Mobile. The Salvation Army had helped her there and sent her as far as Montgomery. She had spent the night across the street. She had been referred to the mayor for help. To make the case the more painful still, on the mayors invitation, she called in two smaller children who had been standing outside and taking hold of the second child, fxI xrao oI1 aha oha uod vryha ha