The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-04-08
MILEAGE HEARING HELD.
COMMISSION TAKES THE MATTEL,
UNDER AMUSEMENT.

Travelling Men Present Their Case
While Representatives of the Rail
roads Explain Why the New Ar
rangement VIII Aid Them, and
They Claim, VIII Aid the Drum-
mers.
Columbia. March 30.-The hearing
In regard to the exchang. mileage
looks. to which the travelling men
object. was hold today in tho Office IF
the railroad commission ard was at l..
tended by the representatives OK tn =
trunk line roads and the organization
If travelling men. After two and
one-half hours discussion the con-
ference was adjourned wI:nort un
conclusion being reached. but there is
perhaps a better understanding Of the
situation on each side. While
some of the travelling men. after the
discussion, expressed their willingness
to let the protest drop and not to
prosecute It further, others stated
emphaticalfy that they wanted to &C
ON record as still protesting against
the regulations governing the use of
the new form Of mileage books.
For the railroads. Mr.. Craig made
o brief statement In opening. rcciting
the conditions leading up to the
changes in rates which are to 60 into
effect on the first of April and stating
that the regulations governing the
mileage books were adopted to "pro.
tact the revenues Of the roads"
Mr.. Lillard wanted to know what
was meant by the expression, "pro-
te citing the revenues" and I. awas
then brought out by Mr..
Craig. Mr.. Ryan and Mr..
Rardwick that this was a mat
tar OF accounting. and that the loss Of
mileage slips under the present system.
wher, the conductor tears the milo. {.
age. caused not only Il SIS to different
roads. but confusion and disorder ir
accounts. which was q business prop.
tsition they thought the travelling
men ought to recognize. The repre-
sentatives Of the roads appealed to
the travelling men to give the new
plan trial for time and to make to
the agents Of the roads any sugges-
tions and give any information or
complaints about the new system
which would be Of help in reaching
an arrangement that would be salts
fsctory to all parties.
Tho travelling men, through
Xessrs. Lillard. Dick Jones, Webb anu
others. stated their objections to the
new plan and cited hypothetical cases
where It would work inconvenience
and hardship. For instance. 1t was
statsi that forty or moro travelling
men 60 out Of Columbia every Monday
morning. and that under the new re-
Quirements they would have to e. To
the station in time to exchange their
mileage for tickets and check their
trunks on these tickets and that thew
IN all probability would have to nns
Up for some time In front Of tho ti.xet
window. Again. II was stated that
frequently a irumn,"r has only time
Z nough IN town to see the trade and
Lack his trunks before train time
Wher,as nc would have 10 .iMit WORK
and begin packing In time to buy q
ticket. inst .ad Of jumping on the t-air
with his mileage in his pocket. Fur
iher. It was also sta.<a that MANY
arummers get or a train.. perhaps at
the last moment. without any Jef'n,t.
idea Of where they will stop; that
they may hear a customer Is not ir
town and 60 on to the next station. or
may double back, whereas they would
not be abls to do this under the new
plan. It was also stated by several
that the organizations Of travelling
mon In this State had not asked for q
reduction In rates at all. and sumo OF
them asserted that they would be will
Ing to pay two and one-half cents for
mileage II they could have the privi
lego OF not exchanging 1t for tickets.
tut having the mileage pulled by the
conductor.
RIG SAI,ES nv PACOv. EFT Mills