The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-30
r. Lancaster Williams Tells of
Reasons for Receivership OF
Georgia and Florida
Rate-Making
Body Roasted
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Delay, as Well as Con-
di,ions Brought On by War.
Seriously Detrimental

Especial 10 The Richmond Firginian.t
Baltimore, Nd, March 2s.--The
Georgia and Florida railroad, one Of
the Southern railway systems. went
into receivers hands today. The road
was financed by Baltimorean ms. and
II. Lancaster Williams is the presi-
dent,
The receivers named by the court
are Colonel j. Nj. Wilkinson, of VAL
dosta, Ga. vice president Of the com
pany; Harry X. Narfield, vice-presi-
dent Of ,he Baltimore Trust Company,
OF this city, and :. r. Sullivan, for
merly connected with the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad, and now rail-
road expert with oftices In New
FORK.
Mr.. Williams Statement.
K. Lancaster Williams, president Of
the Georgia and Florida Railway. is
sued the following statement.
Il regret extremely it has finally
been necessary for the Georgia and
Florida Hallway TO seek the protec-
tion Of the court. but under the cir
e.amstanees, there was no other way
TO bring about proper adjustment
OF the situation.
When I was elected president,
about three years ago, ! hoped 10
bring about the development OF its
b s.uess and such a Encouragement
Of It's securities as would be neces-
so rs without e receivership. The his
tory of tiiese three years has been
a constant struggle with encourage
ment in soine directions and disap-
polntment in others
Tbs recpivershfp would have been
avoided hac Il not been that the gem
ersl depression in business resulting
from the European war and the con-
slant demands Of the labor unions
,hrottled tAa proposition just ~ the
time seemed 10 be commencing 10
make good.
"A short white prior 20 my election
as president and al very critical time
in the compa nys development there
was a disastrous strike. which COM
pIetcly tied up the road and although
the property mas never recovered from
hat trouble. there nas hardly been q
month. up To the present time, when
there have no; been before the Of
t,cers OF the company burdensome
Ia Dor problems, and demands for In
creases in wages and cNactsons OF one
sort or another.
Unreasonable Burdens.
THE public does not realize &c
what extent the railroads have 10 sub
NIT TO the dictates Of the Brother
hoods OF Engineers and Firemen- AL
ready the highest paid skilled labor
they are never satisfied. There arc
instances on tho Georgia and Florida
where engineers have earned forty &c
tifty per cent more per month than
the superintendent TO whom they re-
ported. Some day there viii have te
, be a reckoning with organized labor
or rather with the leaders responsible
for the conditions such ar | have de-
scribcd. and. when that day comes
the public must either demand fair
play for tho railroads or share in the
chaos which must come from con-
tinued demands and exactions from
that source. Every man should be
paid u reasona Bile wage, but there Is 8
limit TO what railroad cSn pay anG
remain solvent, and this limit Is not
far off with many OF the railroads OF
the country.
Reasons For Disaster.
cit Will not do to blame the Eu-
ropean war altogether for the de-
preston n business and the trouble
Of the ratlroo da, but also the combin-
ed influences OF unreasonable labor
demands and the actions OF the In
, terstate Commerce Commission In
fCoutinned on Second paCet