The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-25


in South Carolina as health and pleas
ure resorts. In the last few years it
has made the Manatee section of
Florida widely known throughout the
United States, and the growth of traf-
flc in thaA section has been so surpris-
ingly large that the Seaboard officials
are not interested in letting the public
know how rapidly their business is in
creasing over the West Coast Of the
State.
The development Of that section,
like the development of much Of
Florida and much Of the whole South
is only in its infancy The Seaboard
is making some progress in the bet
tering OF its facilities, but its BUSINESS
is going to grow faster than its facil-
tiles. The roads that come into Flor
ida are not equal to handling expedi-
tiously the business that is being Of
fered in the State. For weeks this
winter travellers to Florida found il
difficult to secure Pullman accommo-
dations. and many engagements had
to be made weeks ahead. Even now,
when the movement out of Florida
ought not to have started, and when
nobody ought to be thinking Of get
ting away from this climate, engage
ments are being SO freely made for
| hA nd fr.,r pi,t-. 1,n
want to remain in the State are maxi
| ing engagements weeks ahead and
getting little panicky because Of the
uncertainty as to whether they can
get out at the time desired. 1t would
seem that it ought to be possible for
the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard
Air Line and other roads intering this
State to provide enough special trains
so that when people want to come to
to Florida they could secure accom-
modations without having to make
engagements ahead, and that in the
spring they ought to be able to know
that they could get out Of the State
without having to make reservations
for the Northbound trip weeks in ad-
vance. In many things the railroads
are doing splendid work worthy Of
all praise. In a good many things
they are falling short. For instance,
the stations in this State, and many
in other States. are miserably insig-
nificant and inadequate for the needs
OF travellers, and a good many of them
are so insanitary that they deserve
to come under the condemnation OF
the State officials.
No one recognizes more fully than
| do the difficulty the railroads have
had in finding money: no one
sympathiZes with them more than I
do in the troubles which they have
had to meet in the way of adverse
legislation and Of lack of capital to
do the things needed, but most of the
roads cannot come into court with q
clean bill Of health. prerequisite to
fair judgment in every court. The
travelling public has a right to ex-
pect better conditions, less overcrowd-
ing OF cars. less Incompetence of
clerks, less inattention at the ma
jority Of depOts and more effort to
make travelling easier. There is not
that could survive for six months il
its clerks were as inattentive to the
needs Of the customers as are many
| railroad clerks to the needs Of the
travelling public. Some railroad off,
Gals have often taken me to task for
making similar statements, but every
traveller knows that they are true,
and every traveller knows that much
of the hostility to the railroads would
never have developed il the railroad
people, from the president down TO
the conductors. and especially to the
clerks in the ticket Offices and depots,
had been as attentive to their custom
ers and as anxious to please as are
the clerks in every reputable busi-
ness house.
The railroad people too often make
travelling difficult, and thus create
enmity, when by better methods they
could lessen the inconvenience Of
travel and make friendship. 1t will
never be possible to measure the
tremendous loss to the railroads, in
enmity developed, in money kept out
OF railroad securities, i'm hostile pub
lie sentiment by the public be damn
ed" spirit which, voiced by one man.
was for many years the dominant
thought of thousands of railroad peo-
pie. The railroads have paid q fear
ful penalty. Now they need the