The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-01
STRONG PETITION
 FOR LOWER RATES Patrons of lnterurban Railway
 Want Reduction BETTER SERVICE ASKED Railroad Commission Will Have To
BETTER SERVICE ASKED
Railroad Commission Will Have To Decide the Question on Com parison of Service Between
 Two Kinds of Roads.

Atlanta. August S1.-CSpecial)-As the building of interurban electric railway lines in several sections of the state is now projected or contemplated, 1t will be of statewide interest to know just what attitude the railroad commission will assume in regulating this class of transportation lines.
 Will the same rules be applied to them as are applied to the steam railroads, and if so will they be allowed to charge the same rate of fare?
 It has generally been the policy of these electric interurban lines to carry pas sengers at lower rates than are charged by the steam railroads, but in other re- spscts they do not give the same service. Their speed is not so great and they do not furnish certain accommodations to passengers such as the steam railroads are required to furnish.
 This whole question will be brought up before the railroad commission at an early date in connection with petition from about a thousand patrons of the Atlanta Northern railway, operating be- tween Atlanta and Marietta. a distance of 20 miles, and which is, strictly speak ing about the only interurban line now in operation in Georgia
 When the Atlanta Northern railway was built the Western and Atlantic, the only steam road operated to Marietta, was allowed to charge cents a mile The straight fare to Marietta was then 60 cents The Atlanta Northern cut this to B cents, which is now its charge for the one way trip Subsequently, the rate which the Western and Atlantic Is all lowed to charge was reduced to cents, making the straight fare 40 cents.
 The petition of the patrons of the At lanta Northern asks that the one-way fare on that line be cut to 20 cents, or 1 cent mile; and, moreover, that the price of monthly communication tickets, good for 30 round trips, be reduced from $7 to $5.
 But that is not all the petitioners want. In addition they are asking that the cleo tric line be required to furnish the same conveniences as are required in the steam railways. They demand that drinking water be furnished for the passengers; that the white and negro races be pro vided with either separate cars or sep arate compartments, and that toilet rooms be put into the cars.
 In other words, at the rate of l cent per mile they are asking that the electrlc line be required to give the same service as is given by the steam railroadsIson
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 It is claimed that the cost of operating the electric line Is so much less than that of steam railroads that a fair re- turn on the capital invested can be made at the lower rate asked for. It Is pointed out that the travel on the line IS neaVy and that electric railways in cities haul persons as far as 10 to 10 miles TOT charge of only cents.
 Ii is an interesting problem with Whicn the commission has to deal in this case and one which will have an important hear ring on the future of interurban lines in the state.
 Judee George F. Gober. former judge of the superior court, represents the pee titioners. There is no doubt that the case will be hard fought.
 New Juvenile State.
 Under the management and olrection VI a dcoONecN%N--f holds A charter from Georgia, the "Juven- fla state" which is to have pecu- liarlv interesting charitable mission, VIII he ready for business on October l.
 rbie institution is located on a farm of 426 acres in Jackson county gwen for the purpose by pr. L. G. Haromah, for wears a well-known member or ths legislature. an ardent prohibitionist ana nrominent philanthropist. Contracts nave t,,st been let for making certain adoitlons to Q large residence which now stanns on this tract. and which when completed Will house the first "citizens" of the JuVen1e state" It's governor will be Jonn D. Gentle. whose own career has given nm A peculiar interest In and sympathy wi.n boys. Besides there will be supeiH"- tendent matron ana teacne L. A..
 The nurpose of this institution Is to nrov,de a. home for wayward and de- itnouant children under such condiuons and discipline as will train them prop er,v and bring out the best there IS Tn them. The constitution of the Juvenile state" gives the following as It's pur- poses: ,
 .-ro teach delinquent and misdirected children the principles of true sel1-gov- ernment; to insure to them justice pre- serve peace and foster industry; to pro mote their various interests AHu peiho nent happiness; to transmit through them to nosterity true liberty instead of heritage of crime, the following constitu- ton of the Juvenile State" is ordained and established with steadfast reliance upon the manifold blessings of Almighty Cod
 The "Juvenile State'' will be mode}ed sorewhat after the George Junior Repub- lis at Freeville. N. Y. At present the as- sociation contemplates only beginning which will expand and grow as condi- tions and the demands upon 1t permit and authorize 1t.
 The association maintains headquarters in Atlanta in charge of Secretary Craw- ford Jackson, and since It's organization in January 1, 1908. has materially assist ed many delinquent children, although 1t has had no institution for this purpose. Last year the record of such children as- sisted was 293