Bisbee daily review., 1908-12-18

On account of a wreck on the s. P. west of Benson, NJ. o. Bicknell, gen eraI freight and traffic agent of the Southern Pacific was unable to meet with the Board of Trade yesterday in general discussion Of traffic matters as had been scheduled. Fl. N. Brown, head of the traffic department Ibf the El Paso and Southwestern, and V. R. Stiles, general passenger agent of the same road, were present and discuss ed matters pertaining to that road. During the forenoon Secretary Key holds, of the Board of Trade, and Mir. Brown went over a number of freight claims that had accumulated and sue ceeded in disposing ofSa considerable number, to the relief of both Brown and the secretary. Some work on this line was done after the discussion with Stiles during the afternoon
 President Buxton presented Bis bees claims to better sleeping car service to NIT. Stiles at the afternoon session. Bisbee people are ~.ow com pelled to go to Douglas on the South western before they can get sleep. CT, and returning fiom Fl Paso rGAst leave the sleeper c.t that place. Going westward there is no certainty of sc curing sleeping rar reservations fh!s side of Tucson as no reservations are left at Bens'n. Bisbee feels entitled to a regular sleeper through to Fl Paso on the South western and two or three regular sleepers each week through to the coast.
 In discussing the proposition from the standpoint of the railroad, MT. Stiles said: Just as soon as the steadily increasing volume of business will warrant, We will put on another sleeper especially for Bisbee. At pres ent the sleeper that we run to Doug las is a heavy expense to us and to divide the traffic between two cars would be losing proposition at this time. There is now noticeable a slow, but very healthy growth in the traffic department, but not so noticeable as is the increased volume of freight busi- ness. However at the present rate of increase it will probably be only six or seven months until We can give the people the accommodations that they desire in this respect
 We had intended starting this ser vice over a year ago, but the panic OH u5 anu LHS freight business is showing up in ia vorable comparison, the passenger business has D)t yet reached the stage that We could afford this extra ex- pense. It is my opinion that the whole southwest is now on the verge of a great increasc of business. We want to do. all We can for the people of Bis bee and you can rest assured that the service will be inaugurated as soon as conditions jus' ify.
 Tn regard to q sleeper to the Pa cific coast we would be happy to join the Southern Pacific in running one sleeper each week to begin with, and increase the service If the traffic would justify 1t. That proposition vas made to us by ths Southern Pacific be- fore-the panic, and it would be no sur prise should thrt road be willing to start the service early next spring. l shall recommend the service 80 far as the Southwestern is concerned"
 As result of the discussion Presi- dent Buxton stated that the Board of Trade would take up the matter of having reservations left at Benson, and MT. Stiles agreed to make close check on the Pullman traffic between Douglas and Fl Paso to see what per centage of it originated in Bisbee.
 A later meeting will be arranged for the discussion of freight schedules, etc, when Mir. Bicknell can be pres ent.