Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-05-03
Why They Want
Change in Reading
Train Schedule
w. & N. B. Opposed to Change

William Ellis Haines, principal
council for the petitioners for IA
change in the schedule of the Sha-
mokin division of the Philadelphia
and Reading railroad, opened for
the petitioners before the state rail
road commission at the court house,
Williamsport, Friday of last week.
Judge Ewing and Milton j.
Brecket, the surviving members of
the commission, occupied chairs in
front of the prothonotary's desk
and the attorneys and others taking
part in the hearing grouped them
selves about tables within the bar.
There was fringe OF others, most
ly witnesses in the forward part of
the spectators section OF the court
room. AS council for the petition
ers, Thomas Wood appeared with
Mr.. Haines. John G. Reading was
in charge of the legal array OF the
Philadelphia & Reading.
WHY HE WANTS SCHEDULE CHANGED
John A. Whitney, the new oc-
cupant of the Round-Top dairy
farm at Halls Station, was called
! by Mr. Haines as the first wit
ness for the petitioners and was
questioned as to the reasons for de-
string "a change in the time of the
morning and evening trains of the
Reading. Mr.. Whitney thought
change would be beneficial. When
Mr.. Reading got at the witness it
became plain that the railroad COM
pany was strenuously opposed to
putting on additional trains or
changing the time of those now in
the service.
Mr.. Whitney testified among
other things that in order to get
to Williams port on the present
early train it was necessary for him
to leave home at ten minutes of 6
o clock, and in response to a ques-
ton by Mr.. Haines, said that this
honr was before daylight during the
fall, winter and early spring. He
declared that he knew of none OF
his neighbors who considered the
present train service satisfactory.
| NOT CONVENIENT FOR MILK SHIPPERS
William F. Coleman, clerk in
the prothonotary' US office, the second
witness, said that he had a farm at
Fritz station and that to his know
ledge many farmers used the station
and that a large quantity of milk
was shipped from there, some of it
being from his farm. He said that
the present train time was not con-
venient to the milk shippers.
Deputy Prothonotary G. NJ.
Sones, swore that the present
schedule interfered with the busi-
nees of the courts and that witness
ses and jurymen from the lower end
of the county We're put to incon-
venience. Mr. Sones said that he
owned a farm in Wolf township
and was unable to live there and
attend to his duties at the court
house on account of the present ar
rangement of trains. Mr.. SoneS
declared the present train schedule
was generally unsatisfactory. He
referred to the holding up of the
license court last month by the
failure of witnesses to arrive in
time on train No. %, scheduled to
arrive at Pine street at 1O:OS d. m. !,
on account not only of the lateness
of the time fixed, but also on ac-
count of an unusual detention OF
the train.
w. & N. 3. OPPOSED TO CHANGE
General Manager Townsend, of
the Williamsport & North Branch,
took hand in the quizzing of the
witness at this time. Mr.. Town
send prefaced his examination by
a statement that the proposed
change of schedule would necessi-
tate the putting on of other trains
on his road. He declared that pas
senger traffic was not paying prop
osition and that he already had too
many passenger trains on his tracks
as it was. The question of the
profit of passenger traffic was much
to the fore in the questions asked
by Mr.. Reading of the witness.
Mr.. Sones declared that if morn
ing train on the Reading were
scheduled to arrive at S:l5, people
from out of town would have as
much time to do business as they
now have in case they come to the
city by the early train reaching here
: soon after O clock, for the reason
that the stores do not open till