The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-15
COLUMBIA NEWS
IN BRIEF FORM
High Cost of Operation Driving
Short Line Railroads Out
of Business.
TWO LINES ASK PERMIS-
SION TO SUSPEND
Sentiment in Favor of Extra
Session of Legislature Said to
Be Growing.
{By Harold Booker) .

pearea before the State Railroad
Commission yesterday and asked per-
mission to discontinue operations.
Four other short line railroads are
expected to ask permission to dis
continue operations IN the next few
weeks.
E. Mittle, manager of the Branch
vilie-Bowman Railroad, appeared be-
fore the commission in behalf of the
plea submitted by that road for per-
mission to cease operation. This road
IS narrow gauge road, twelve miles
in length, and has never made mon
ey. according to Mr.. Mittle. It's loss
es of late have been more than the
: owners can stand.
James Sotille, representing the
Charleston-Isle Of Palms Railway
submitted statistics to the commits
sion tending to show that the COM
pany has lost $4,000 in the last two
months. That company operated an
electric line between Mount Pleas
ant and the Isle Of Palms. Mr.. Sot-
lille said that unless the commission
could give his company relief oy al
lowing it to charge a higher fare 1t
would be absolutely impossible for
it to continue operations. The COM
mission does not feel that it has the
authority to allow it to charge more
hut has referred the matter to the
attorney general Of the State.
Members Of the railroad connTls-
sion declare that the short line rail-
Mays of the State are up against IL
ana that u great many Of them are
geing to be forced to go out Of busl-
ness. Very few Of them have ever
made any money and the high. cost Of
operating now has knocked the spots
cntsof them. -,
For An Extra Session.
The movement for an extra ses-
sion Of the general assembly is gain
ing momentum daily The announce
meat Of Speaker Thomas P. Cothran
that he favors the extra session has
gwen it a. big boost. Mr.. Cothran sac
in his statement:
tsTf the members of the general as
sembly will meet with the determl-
II sse9n to pass good roads law pro-
viding for one mill tax, special IL
cease tax on automobiles and ar as
sersnent upon abUtting property own
ers for a reasonable part of the cost
OF ccncre:e roads, allowing the coun-
tics that have voted bonds credit Tor
tho cost of the work adopted by the
state Highway Commission, I should
he in favor OF an extra session
Coupled with this is the very IN
portant matter Of reform in assess
ments Of property which, II adopt
ed. would secure an additional feVe-
nue. for the State far in excess OF the
cost of an extra session. This effort
should be directed not only to the
equalization of the burden OF taxa
ton but to the placing upon the tax
books of a vast amount of propert:
which has hitherto escaped and IS
now escaping taxation.
These two very important mat
ters of legislation failed to receive
in my opinion at the last session the
attention they deserved. I am not IN
a position to say whet-, er the temp
er Of the general assembly has 50
changed as to excite reasonable hope
that these omissions would be cor
rected should they reconvene in extra
session
Representative r. I. McDavid Of
Greenrilie also gave out an interview
in which he said that in his opinion
there is assurance sufficient that the
bill would be put through at an extra
session to warrant it's being called for.
He said the general sentiment has
changed since the adjournment Of the
general assembly.
United States Senator Nat E. Dial
gave out a statement today at his
home IN Laurens urging. the calling
Of a special session for the -2urposc
of passing good roads legislation.
That the sentiment is growing
stronger each day. and seems 20 be
sweeping over the entire State is ad-
n1itted now by some VINO laugned
when the question of an extra session
was first mentioned.
Senator Smith Optimistic.
United States Senator Ellison D.
Smith who was in Colurlioia yesterday
is optimistic over general conditions.
He believes that there is going to be
a relaxation shortly in the e,nbargoas
on cotton and that the price of the
product is then going to soar to
heights unknown The senator has
offered his services to the State Cot
ton Association and will make num-
Der of speeches in behalf of the re-
duction in acreage.
The senator is looking unusually
well although ne says that the last
six months have been the most
strenuous of his life. AS chairman Of
the very important interstate COM
merce committee he has been kept
unusually busy and then he has Civ
en- a great deal Of thought to and
worry over the cotton situation.
The senator says that his nephew.
William H. Smith. son Of the late
Bishop Coke Smith, has just Return
an FROM Fra uca where he was in the