The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-19
Railroads in Trouble
Having Hard Time Making Ends
Meet. Material is Costly and
Labor Wants High
Wages

wages
Columbia. April 15.-Short line
railroads in South Carolina which
have been fighting the wo!f from the
door for many months and who now
find the wolf coming in the back
way and down the chimney, are not
particularly optimistic in their eN-
pressions as regards the future, ac-
cording to advices reaching the rail-
road commissioners. For years short
line roads have been hard put 20 it
to make ends meet and during the
past few months their financial diff
ficulties have increased like crop
of wild onions.
The steadily increasing cost o' ma
terials. the high prices OF labor. the
loss of passenger fares through the
use of the automobile. and the COM
petition of the trunk lines have Of
fered combination which has
brought at least some OF the short
lines to about the last dust omcal
in the bin. -
The attitude of the railroad COM
mission has been to throw out llte
line whenever possible. The short
lines accommodate many people, ana
if they were all to be junked, their
loss would be keenly felt. Whenever
legally possible the commission has
practically permitted the short lines
to raise rates until the people howl
ed" knowing that unless some re-
lief was afforded the short lines
would have to so into the hands OF
receiver. But even with every as
sistance that the commission could
give, the roads have had no little dIf-
| fculty in making expenses, and
hopes of profits have about ceased to
senliven their existence.
The Branchville &; Bowman road.
which is II miles long. has applied
/ for a. dissolution OF its charter. Ii
will be required TO file the necessary
papers before final action will De
/ taken.
The Alcolu to Olanta road. 20 miles
long, wants to get better rates ON
express. Unless some relief can be
secured it may be forced to go out
OF business.
The Grecnville Wcstcrn road
! from Greenville 10 River Falls in
Greenville county is already in the
/! hands Of a receiver. 1t is about II
miles long.
Some years ago the Carolina d
Western in Hampton county, running
from Fechtig. about eight miles in
the country, went out Of existence.
The Isle of Palms road, while cleo
trically operated, is also in difficult
ties 1t claims that it can not op-
crate and live on a three cent basis.
The Chester & Lancaster read, rs
miles long was put to heavy expense
few years ago for the erection OF
steel bridge over the Catawba
River.
Some six months ago the SeaboarG
| Air Line took over the BcnncttSvlllc
q Cheraw road running to kotlock.
1t is about 43 miles long and is now
being operated as a subsidiary line OF
! the Seaboard as q government con-
trolled road. The road from Lumber
| ton. n. c., to Marion, 4 l miles long:
the road from Cheraw to Crobuck, Sc
miles long, and the road from McBee
to Jefferson, IS miles Ions. arc all
being operated as government con-
trolled lines.
The road from Orangcburg to
North. II miles long. is in the. hands
of receiver The road running be-
tween Bamberg' and Ehrhardt, now
operates two instead OF four trains.
Other short lines are struggling
along as best they can. constantly
meeting difficulties on account Of
high priced labor and materials.
One item that has affected the
short lines and promises to affect
| trunk lines as we'll is the growing
popularity of the automobile. The
cheap car. in which q man can carry
his whole family from place to place
without being compelled to meet the
schedules of 4. train. is becoming
more and more common and is stead
! ily reducing the number of fares col
lected. When roads arc improved
passenger fares will be still further
reduced. and trucks may also play
their part in carrying freight over
| short boY1S