Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-12-14
s!EAR0ARD WILL REMOVE TERMINAL;
FREIGHT CREWS FROM AMER|CUS
Bulletin to That Effect Was Posted Last Night at the
Local Shops-This Step Understood to Be in
Nature of Retaliatory Measure--Citzens VIII
Protest in Massmeeting Tuesday-Order Removes
Many Families From, Americus.


night and posted at the Americus
shops of the Seaboard railway, Ameri-
Gus will no longer be the terminal for
through freight trains, as it has been
for twenty-five gears, but instead the
terminal headquarters will be divided
between Montgomery and Cordele.
Five or six through freight crews are
affected by the order just issued.
Three of these will go to Montgomery
and the others to Cordele.
This order is the more surprising in
view of the positive assurance given
by President Harahan when in Amer
icus last year, and more recently by
General Supt. Lake that Americus
would, under all circumstances, con-
tinue the terminal point for freight
trains on this division.
The claims of Americas to this priv
ilege lies in the fact that it is equidis-
tant between Montgomery and
Collins, Ga, the latter point now being
the eastern freight terminal instead of
Savannah. To Collins the distance
from Americus is 139 miles; to Mont
gomery from Anlericus the distance is
1873 miles. Americas, therefore is the
geographical center between the two
terminals.
When, several months ago, Americus
yielded without a protest to the re-
moval of division headquarters from
this city to Savannah General Supt.
Lake, who was here at the time, stat
ed to- a committee of business men
that it was for the interest of the road
that this be done but, that the freight
terminal would remain permanently
in Americus, where it had been for a
quarter century, and where men in
the service had their homes.
Having confidence in such assurance,
Americus made no protest at the re-
moval of the division offices to Savan-
nah-that for the third time, by the
way.
Will Not Benefit Road.
So far as the change now being put
into effect is concerned, it cannot be
seen here where it benefits the road
one iota, and both in railway and in
local business circles it is regarded
wholly and entirely as a retaliatory
act upon part of the railway company,
simply because Americus protested last
week before the Railroad Commission
to the taking off of the night trains, 13
and IA, operated between Americus
and the Alabama line.
The company carried its point then.
and permission for the removal of the
train service was granted. Within 48
hours the order was issued by the Sea-
board, striking back at Americus,
seemingly, for having opposed the
train curtailment.
The twenty-five or thirty empoyees
who are effected by the order are all
residents of Americus, many having
lived here twenty or twenty-five years
in the service of the company They
have pretty homes and, many of them,
have reared families here. They are
opposed, quite naturally, to the con-
templated change, and Americus, to a
man, is likewise opposed to what
seems an arbitrary step upon the part
of the Seaboard.
A mass meeting OF merchants and
business men generally will be held
at the city hall tomorrow morning al
II O'Clock, at which the, matter at is
sue will be gone into very thoroughly
and protective steps taken which. 1t 4
hoped, will safeguard the, city's, inter
ests. Every citizen Of ,Americus Il
urged to attend this meeting.