The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-04-14

complain of a railroad, it seems to
us that the complaint of Citizen
last week, and that of Taxpayer
this week, have merit.
Before the Seaboard Air Line, or
it's predecessors, built line into Abb
beville, we believe that the Southern
ran one train a day, each day, and
it claimed then, we believe, that it
did this at loss. When the Sea-
board commenced to give US some
advantages in the way of better
trains and better schedules, the
Southern began to run more trains.
But it has only run such trains as it
was compelled to run in order to
save its face. There has never
been any apparent desire to serve
the people of this city fairly in ex-
change for the very large amount
of business given to it by the busi-
ness men of the city. These branch
lines have always been the dumping
ground for old engines, old cars and
anything else that is worn out in
other service, but we have been able
to stand this, and we would still be
willing to stand it, if we could get
roadbed and rails to pun the trains
on so that we could have some ac-
commodation here in the way of
going somewhere. AS it is now, it
takes about forty-fve minutes to go
from Abbeville to Hodges, and the
same time to return. A man going
to Greenville, Anderson or any other
up-country place, leaves AbI.eville
at 9 o'clock, spends forty-fve min
utes in creepln.. ont t., Hodges, and
then waits an EIur on the train
from Columbia. The train on tie
Abbevi!le branch has ample time to
make two trips in the 1nn"ning, in
stead of one, if the Southern vii!
give us a railroad to Abbevil!e, and
all this loss of time and annoyance
can be saved.
1t seems that the Southern Rail-
way, if it has no regard for the pub
lie, which supports it, and for the
men, women and children, who ride
on its trains from Abbeville to Hod-
ges, would at least have some re-
gard for the life and limbs of the
various men in its employ, who
make it what it is. 1t is not doing
its duty in this regard when a train
cannot be run over ten miles an hour
for fear of running off the track,
turning over, or suffering some
other catastrophe. The fact is,
that these schedules are the result,
We believe, of the fact that the train
last fall, almost daily left the track,
on account of the roadway being en-
tirely unfit for the running of trains
over it.
The Southern has paid dearly
enough in the Courts of this state,
for rotten trestles, rotten crossties,
and worn out rails. It should heed
the warning that has been sounded,
the warning the repeated derail-
ments of its trains have given, and
build railroads for the public, in
stead of lobbying legislatures.
When it does this it will, in a meas
ure, meet the demands of the public,
and do its duty to its own employees.
While we are waiting, let US hope
that no untoward accident will be-
fall the people of this community
who are forced to patronize the |
Abbeville branch.
In criticising the management of |
the railroad, let it be understood |
that we do not criticise the many |
faithful men who have worked on
the Abbeville branch, and who have
made, and are sill making every eff
fort to accommodate the public,
even with the poor facilities fur
nished them. The fact is that the
Southern Railway is only tolerated |
in Abbeville, and has been tolerated |
in the past, in it's treatment of the |
public, on account of these good |