The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-01-22
SHORT LINE RAILROADS
OF NATION FACE RUIN
As Result OF Failure of Govern
ment to Take Them Over
For Control.

Hlgn Polnt, N. e., Jan. 21.-That
the 500 short line railroads
of the country face ruin
as result Of the fail
ure of the government to take them
over for control and operation is the
statement of w. IL. Price, general
manager of the Carolina and Yadkin
River railway. upon his return to
the city from Washington. Mr..
Price and Traffic Manager Frank ].
Sizemore have been spending the
past few days in the capital city i'm
an effort to ascertain lust where
they and the line they represented
stood. According to Mr.. Price, Di-
rector General McAdoo. President
Wilson and the legal advisor in the
control and operation of the railways
are Of the expressed opinion that
the government has not yet assumed
control of any other than the trunk
lines of the country. Further, ac-
cording to Mr.. Price, indications are
that the director general does not
contemplate the taking over of the
numerous short lines Of the country.
The condition is such that the Off
cfals of the short lines are greatly
alarmed and can see nothing but
ruin staring them in the face unless
there is a change in the mind of the
administration officials. Since the
government took over the railroads.
Mr.. Price stated. the officials OF the
Carolina and Yadkin railway have
received regularly the bulletins and
instructions from Mr.. McAdoo and.
until few days ago, the impress
sion was labored under that the
short lines were controlled by the
government. There was something
in the air, however, which caused
uneasiness and the trip to Washing
ton resulted
There 1t was found that the di-
rector general and his advisors had
apparently decided not to take over
the short lines. numbering about
600 and representing invested capt.
tai OF $1,000, 1000. 1t seemed to
be the prevailing opinion that the
operation OF the trunk lines would
bring about the desires OF the gov
ernment, the improvement OF the
traffic situation. That places the
short lines, those depending entirely
upon the trunk lines for cars and
connections, emphaticalIy up against
1t, so speak, for with the government
regulations there would be very
small chances OF the short lines get
ting any business through. Co
operation, it is stated, could not be
counted upon and without the CO.
operation Of the large lines. the
short ones would amount to prac-
tically nothing and il would be i'm
possible to earn operating ex-
penses.
The senate and house committees
on the railroad problem will not file
their reports for about 10 days yet,
Mr.. Price informed the reporter. and
during that time 1t is quite possible
that representatives from the 500
lines will visit Washington and
make a plain statement Of facts to
the congressman and senator's. The
two representatives of the local line
are ready to return at any time, it
was stated, and they were hopeful
that another visit would result in
their gaining more information than
the one ending with last evening
did
Mr.. Price and Mr.. Sizemore were
In attendance upon meetings for the
consideration Of traffic problems
throughout their stay in Washing
ton and they admit that they re-
turned knowing not one bit more
that Is tangible than they did be-
fore they left the city.