The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-01-12
CITY WINS OUT
IN RATE FIGHT

the rail lines get larger share OF the
through freight charge when freight
moves by that routing. 1t is not con-
tended that ther all carriers are not
exercising good business judgment in
so influencing their traffic but il is
contended that they cannot legally con-
tinue the alleged determinations
against Brunswick if the matter is
aired before the proper tribunals.
Secretary Weatherly points out that
the city of Brunswick subscribed to
$350,000 of the original capital stock
OF the Macon and Brunswick railroad
which has since become part of the
Southern railway. In addition a large
acreage of land was donated and con-
cessions, such as right-of-way fran
chises, etc, were donated and the
records clearly show that the city of
Brunswick expected that railroad to
be of primary bene.Tt to this port and
never did they dream that the line
would ever be used merely as a part
of a system in such a way as it is
alleged it is now being used.
He claims further that the Bruins
wick macon line, now the Southern
railway, at about the time it was taken
over by the Southern railway regular
ly carried from one to three solid
train loads of freight to the interior
from Brunswick after the arrival of
each Mallory liner, while he claims
that now the same rail line never car
Ees out more than three or four cars
from each steamer
Secretary Weatherly further shows
from the old records of Brunswick
that $50000O was contributed by the
city to help build the present Atlantic
Coast Line railroad, and additional
concessions, the present value of
which exceeds half a million dollars,
were donated. And he alleges that the
A. c. L., while encouraging movements
of coastwise freight by way of other
ports, it encourages no similar move
ments through Brunswick but on the
con ''"ry seeks no business over its
Brunswick line except purely local
freight such as lumber and crossties,
etc, which must move over that line.
"The city of Brunswick is today pay.
ing through the nose for the innu-
merable favors granted these two
lines" said Secretary Weatherly.
"The present bonded Indebtedness of
the city of Brunswick is in a large
measure the residue of Indebtedness
incurred to aid these two lines and
that the people of Brunswick are al
least entitled to full consideration OF
their woes which we are suffering at
their hands.
''The Macon line has just closed an
arrangement with the carriers of Sa-
vannah whereby their boats can in
terchange freight with any coastwise
steamer line of that city at no ex-
pense other than the cost of the labor,
their own boat hands doing the work.
They are free to do business with any
line at the dock. Contrast that with
the treatment the same line received
at Brunswick. At one dock their boats
could not dock at all. At the Mallory
dock they were charged a price for
the interchange of their freight which
made it commercially impossible for
the line to do any business at Bruins
wick.
'The Southern railway is and was
directly responsible for the trouble the
Macon line had here and is directly
responsible for its leaving. The pres
ident of the Southern Railway com.
pany in a letter written me several
days ago admits this but endeavors to
defend their acts.
81 do not know how the people gen
orally feel but if Brunswick does not
go through with the fight President
Butts and | have started and in which
we have been so nobly seconded by
Mr.. Church and Mr.. Hopkins, of the
executive committee of the Board OF
Trade, this city, commercially, will re-
main where it is and twenty years
| from today will be of but little more
importance than it is now.
81 am duly sensible of the cooper
alton pledged by the city council and
with this cooperation shown in sub
! stantial form and with the backing OF
the people of the city, the Board OF
Trade will win for Brunswick all that
is rightfully hers, she asks no more
and we seek no more for her The
mess of pottage she got for her herit
age will and shall become a banquet
of prosperity