St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1911-12-09
MEET WITH
RAILROAD MEN
Citizens of Covington and
Officials of N. O. G. N.
Meet in Covington and Talk
Over Matter of Service.
Better Time Will be Given
If Stops are Cut Down.
Road Willing to Do What It
Can to Improve Service.


Executive Committee of the Coving-
ton Commercial Club, officials of the
New Orleans Great Northern Rail-
road Company met the Committee
and a number of the citizens of Gov
ington, Monday afternoon, at the Of
fees OF the company in the depot.
Notification that the officials would
be in Covington at that time came
TOO late to have at the meeting all
those that 1t was intended should be
there, as it was considered that
Abita Springs and other towns on
the road were equally interested in
the matter of securing better
schedule and in the general discus
sion of railroad service. There
We're present, however. H. r. How
ard, general manager; John L.
Davis, superintendent, of transpor-
tation; M. j. Mcmahon, general pas
senger agent; G. H. Gussing, sup
erintendent of motive power; Mayor
r. G. 3Marrero, H. J.. Smith, DR.. r.
G. Tolson, A. G. Mccormack, Ed
mund Stern, James Mutually, J.
Louis Smith, P. J. Lacroix, Robert
Badon, T.. Gabriel, Anatole Beau
coudray and e. G. Davis, D. J. San
ders, D. III. Mason and W. H. Kent,
eel Of the Executive Committee.
MT. John L. Davis speaking for
the railroad company, entered into
quite lengthy details in explanation
OF the causes of the present defec-
tive service. His plea was that this
branch of the road was not now pay
Ing the company; that the road was
paying 5 per cent on $8,000,000 of
bonds and $4,000 per month to the
Northeastern for the use Of their
tracks to Slidell, and that In fact the
road might be better off If that SER
vice were discontinued. He stated
that it was to the interest Of the
company to develop every portion
of its road and that they would do
Al n their power II this had fifasd made it
difficult to have repair work done
and that they were somewhat Grip
pied on this account, but that they
expected soon to have two new loco
motives, which would greatly ease
the situation and would enable them
to keep up the schedule time. The
chair car, he said, had been taken
off for repairs and would be placed
back if we desired it. He further
stated that If we compel the COM
pany to meet all our requirements
and that in consequence the road
was, forced into the hands of re-
ceiver, it would then be run under
the control of the receiver, free from
the interference of the Railroad
Commission, and that we would only
get such service as the profits de-
manded.
Mr.. Davis seemed to be fair and
honest in discussing the situation
and left the impression that the road
better conditions.
Manager Howard stated that he
thought five minutes or more might
be cut off the schedule by eliminat
fng some of the lost time at North
Slidell, and if, as suggested by Mr..
Mcmahon, the stop at Claiborne and
Ozone Park could be cut out ten min
utes more could be taken from the
schedule.
Mr.. Davis also spoke Of the fact
that their agreement with the
Northeastern called for time Of not
less than one hour and ten minutes
between New Orleans and Slidell;
hence all Improvement In the sched-
ule must be made between Sidell
and Covington, and as there were
eleven stops, inclusive, the actual
running time was about as good as
could be expected. 1t was the stops
that heightened it.
The general feeling is that If the
railroad will do what 1t can for Cow
ington the people will gladly do what
they can to make it a paying prop
oRition.