The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-26
Complaint About Railroads

Complaint About Railroads
| Editorial comment to the effect that the
state railroad commission has been
marching down hill with reference to a
recent complaint made against the South
tern railway, to the effect that 1t was
operating a passenger engine with seven
broken spokes In one driving wheel, has
called forth a rejoinder from Chairman
H. W. Hill.
Upon complaint of a passenger that the
Southern was operating a passenger en-
CINE on its Columbus division with seven
broken spoken In one Of its driving wheels
the commission ordered a hearing Just be-
fore the time for the hearing arrived the
Southern notified the commission that 1t
had put new driver on the engine in
question. whereupon the hearing was
called OFF.
Chairman Hill denies emphatically that
in calling off the hearing the commission
has marched down the hill"
THE commission never. marches down
the hill on any proposition declared
Chairman Hill. THAT hearing was called
off because when new wheel was put
on the engine in question the cause of
objection or complaint had been re-
moved.
THE commission is conducting a rigid
Investigation of the physical condition of
the rolling stock and other properties
used by all the railroads in the state"
Chairman Hill continued. 1--WE are con-
stantly having these inspections made. but
since the report of that defective wheel
was received we have secured experts to
conduct a special investigation, and in
that way we will determine the question
| of whether or not there is q cause for
any further investigation by the commits
ZION.
1T Is the purpose of the commission
at all times to take every possible pre-
caution to protect the lives and property
of persons who travel on the railroads,
and any complaint of inadequate or de-
fective service is given thorough investi-
CATION
Reformatory for Girls
There is at Maxwelton. a little station
on the Central railroad near Atlanta, ar
iuotitutloii WIlCll Is Unique III the south
a reformatory for girls.
There are plenty of institutions in the
south, like the Florence Crittenton homes
and others of that sort for the care Of
hayward girls and women. But this Ii
the only one in the south to which the
girls may be sent by the courts instea6
of being given changing sentences, anc
where at the same time they may b,
sent by their mothers who fear for thei
future or where they may go volun
tarily
hayward girls, established by prominen
Atlanta women a memorial to TIL,
late John F Barclay, who devoted hi
life to local mission work.
Although ii Is but two months old, /
Is already crowded with its % inmates
among whom Rome, Columbus. Jasper
Jacksonville. Gainesville and other Geor
gia towns are represented.
The ministers of Atlanta have taker
such an interest In the institution tina
they recently got together and pledged
themselves to raise $2O00~for its main
tenance for a year. Its financial man
agement is in charge of the Rev. E. H
Peacock, who, at his own request. wa
lplaced under bond In charge of tn
girls in the institutions are two matrons
Around the lot is a barbed wire fenc
, two. who went there voluntarily, ar
, forcibly detained under lock and key
! The girls study, work and have variou
forms Of recreation. They vary in ag
from IL to % years. When first sent Z
! the home they are kept pusily employed
in order to take their minds away fror
former associations They do light gar
den work and plenty Of vegetables for tn
place are raised within the enclosure.
/, The demand already made upon tn
1 | home is Indicative of the fact that II
] capacity has got to be greatly enlarge
in the near future. If 1t is commensurate
r ly to fulfill its mission.
J In the case of one girl sent from Rom
for period OF II months, instead
to the changing. there is tinge {
romance. She was engaged to marry
> | young man who was sent to jail for
misdemeanor. She visited him in til
| Jail and carried to him file with who
I he cut the bars and made his escap
For aiding the escape Of a prisoner frol
| jai she was given u months' sentent
to the chaingang. The Barclay home ha
. Just opened and her sentence we
changed so that she could be sent hel
| instead.
A 15-year-old inmate of the institutio
was sent here from Jasper, Ga. She
the main witness in a criminal case, an
/ II was discovered that interested partie
were endeavoring to bride her to leave tn
state Later she was threatened wit
violence, and she was sent to the HON
in part for her own protection.
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