The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-27
WILL INSIST ON SHUTTLE TRAINS ID CAMP GILLIAN Soldiers Want More Oppor- tunity to Visit Anniston
 and Birmingham SOUTHERN TRAFFIC
 MAKES TT PROBLEM Seaboard Is Already Making Its Plans to Operate Bus Line
 and Special Train to
 Jacksonville

So insistent has become the request Of citizens of Anniston and 22,O00 soldiers located at Camp Mcclellan that the Southern Railway company operate shut tie trains to and from. the cantonment that it is regarded as probable that To- cal Southern authorities will take up the proposition with E. H. Coapman, vice president.
 No secret has been made by the sol diers of their dissatisfaction, their de- sire for that relaxation which Anniston cannot afford; and the people of Annis- ton, aware that the soldiers are anxious to visit this city frequently are in hearty sympathy with the movement to make Birminghams bigness available.
 Information from Anniston is to the effect that while the plan for relief as contemplated by the Seaboard Air Line IS appreciated that plan will not suf- flee as solution of the problem. An nston wants the Seaboard to build near sr the camp it being contended thas tae operation of q bus line conneeti s the camp with Jacksonville would be entirely inadequate for the accommodl ton of 22,000 men. It is estimated that if service is provided S00 soldiers will daily visit Birmingham
 DOUBT ITS FEASIBILITY
 While it is stated that the Southern will do whatever consistently it can do, it is known that neither Vice President Coapman nor L. Sevier believes the idea of shuttle train operation feasible. In Birmingham some days ago MT. Coap- manis said: One of the problems of rail- roads touching cantonments is the de- mand for the operation of shuttle trains. The Southern railroad and all other rail- roads have all that they can possibly do in the accommodation of the government. Shuttle train operation would be for the sole purpose of pleasing soldiers de- sirous of vacation and of merchants desirous of trade. That purpose, in nor nal times, would be worthy enough
 In the present emergency, however, one cannot easily see how attention can be wisely withdrawn from work of prime importance to the government at war, and given, even for snort while, to matters of relatively little importance.'
 Mr. Sevier stated that, according to his present light, nothing for the relief Of the boys at Mcclellan can be done. Like MT. Coapman he declared the South eln to be taxed to it's limit in the move ment of troops material, munitions and food supplies, all in addition to the reg ular or routine business of the com pany.
 SEABOARD MAKING PLANS
 As previously reported in The Age Herald, the Seaboard within the next two weeks, will in all probability an- nounce its plan for relief. The road will run it's trains from Piedmont on a branch line to the rear three miles to Jacksonville Jacksonville is five miles from Camp Mcclellan. As an adjunct to the scheme. the road will operate or supervise the operation of a bus line moving on a continuous schedule. It is planned to put the boys in Birmingham at 9:30 o'clock in the morning and leave Birmingham with them at 6:30 o'clock in the afternoon.
 As pointed out above, Anniston Is as anxious as the soldiers themselves that means be afforded for the 22,000 men to visit Birmingham. It is probable that in an effort to secure accommodation from the railroads the people of Annis- ton will join with the people of Birming- ham. News from Camp Mcclellan Is that as presently situated the boys are dis satisfied, and that in consequence of their letters home the camp is receiving ad- verse advertisement.