The chronicle-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1920-1941, 1920-09-24

that il this we.e done, and proper
management had that it would pay
as it had under former owners. AS
du example OF inadequate equipment
and indifference to business, he cited
instances where lumber companies
had tried to ship lumber over the road
and the railroad could not get cars.
He read a letter from a lumberman
in Reba, Miss., stating that he de-
sired to ship lumber to Moss Point
over the A. & M. and was building
cars to carry it. Other big companies
would do likewise, he said, if the
railroad would only manifest dis
position to handle the shipments. Mr..
Mcintosh said that though cars were
hard to get, the greatest trouble was
caused by lax management of the
railroad, and the resultant embargoes
on them declared by connecting lines.
The drastic consequences of rail
road abandonment were told by Mr.
Cassidy. He said that the railroad
would certainly be discontinued if the
people made no protest; that they
should act, as the property along the
route took its value from the contigui-
ty of railroad. There was no conclu-
sion to arrive at, he said, other than
that the road sought to quit because
it was not making money, and that
bad management alone kept it from
paying.
G. M. Luce of Mobile told of the |
transitory condition of the three
counties. That they were turning |
from timbering to farming, and the
need of the road was greater for agri-.
culture than for the lumber industry.
He said that people had invested their
money in lands, built homes, towns
and industries because they believed
the road would grow. They could
not afford to see it junked.
H. B. Everitt of Pascagoula spoke
as a representative Of Mayor Lewis
of Pascagoula who was i'll and unable
to attend the meeting. w. H. Stinson,
of education of George
spoke in behalf of the chill
lreen of George county. F. l.. Lin
german, a merchant of Hurley, spoke
Tor the smaller merchants along the
road route. Edwin Booth of Big
Point, a former railroad man, and
State Senator Breeland of Leakes-
vile, also spoke. Mrs. Dan Cunning
IAN, one of the ladies present, spoke
vigorously against the railroads
A number of other
we'll known South Mississippi citizens
poke. Chairman Mcintosh called on
of the railroad to pre-
tent their side, but no response was
lad.
A motion by Mr.. Luce prevailed
hat the chairman appoint commit
ee composed Of representative
rom each community to represent
he people before the Interstate
railroad Commission and have power
O raise money by popular suhscrip-
ion, employ attorneys and do any
md everything to keep the railroad in
peration,
The chair appointed the committee
s follows: +. H. Lewis, mayor of
X. w. Burnham, drug
list and member Jackson county
oard of supervisors, of Moss Point; ,
/. A. DeMonbrum, farmer, Of Agri- ,
ola; ]. T. McRae. merchant. of
G. M. Luce. lumberman.
( Lucedale. A motion was made =
nd prevailed that Mr.. Mcintosh =
erve as chairman of the committee.
This committee will act as an ex-
cutive committee, and will meet
-ithin a few days to name sub II
ommittees to work with them in Sc a
uring data to present to the Inter $
tate Commerce Commission. They F
ere assured the unqualified support
I the people of the communities
and instructed to call for i.
ny aid necessary in their work. a
About three hundred people were il
resent at the meeting. and the pref
: little own of Lucedale was taxed
offering its generous hospitality to a