The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-19
W|NCHELL SLATED
 ID BE PRESIDENT g. IS REPORT
Numerous Changes in Rail road Circles Before March Number of Changes
 Announced

Persistent rumors have been in cir culation in Birmingham the past week or two that B. L. WinchelL regional director for the southeastern district of the United States railroad admins tration would be elected president of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad Com pany at a meeting of the directors to be held between now and March l. Mr. winchen was president of the Union Pacific Railroad Company prior to January l. 1918, when the government took over the control and operation of the railroads of the country.
 In organizing the railroad admins tration, the country was divided into three regions, the northern. the south eastern and the western. Mir. Winchell was made director of the southeastern region, and has served in that capac- ity ever since
 He is one of the best known railroad men in the United States and recog nized as one of the ablest. Before be- ing with the Unian Pacific he was con- nected with several of the big systems of the country, in the capacity of presi- dent with one or more of them.
 George w. Bower has signed as general passenger agent of the Illinois Central railroad to engage in the auto mobile business in Memphis, Tenn. MT Bower has been with the Illinois Cen tral several years and is known throughout the south as very suc- cessful passenger traffic man. TO LEAVE TRAFFIC BUREAU With the closing up of the Birming ham district freight traffic bureau. ere ated in the summer of 1918, Clarence H. Pearson, the chairman, will prob ably return to the Alabama Grea Southern as assistant general passen ger agent, which office he held at thu time the government took over the con trol of the railroads. MT. Pearson wal stationed in Birmingham in the pas senger traffic department of the Ala bama Great Southern. and he has ; l large circle of friends both in railroad l and business circles hero.
 Mir. Pearson came with the distric 1 freight committee when it was frs created and succeeded to the chairman ship about a year ago, when F. A. de Funiak, chairman up to that time. wal transferred by the Louisville and Nash vile railroad from Montgomery t' Louisville MT deFuniak was then pro noted from general agent of the Louis vile and Nashville at Montgomery tt general passenger agent of the system with headquarters in Louisville. A. J 1 Ridgeley, who succeeded Mir. deFunial as general agent at Montgomery wa appointed to the vacancy in the distric | freight committee.
 i The other two members of the dis l trict committee are o. l.. Bum, secre | tary-treasurer of the Birmingham traf l fife bureau and R. G. Cobb, manager o l the traffic bureau of tthe Mobile Cham I Der of Commerce.
 PROMISE OF RELIEF
 Promise of relief from the car short age that has existed in this district tn past several months is held out in letter President l.. Sevier of the Ala bama Manufacturers Association, re ceived from Senator Underwood yes terday. In his letter Senator Under 1 wood stated that he had interviewe ] Director General Hines of the Unite States railroad administra tion, and ths
 the latter promised to take steps
 relieve the situation here.
 At times during the past few month
 some of the roads have been unable
 furnish more than 25 per cent of tn
 cars called for by shippers, and at n | time in weeks has the supply been any thing like normal. This appli<s to bo
 cars as well as coal cars with the di1 ference that the box caf situation al plies to all of the roads, while, wit
 the exception of the Louisville an | Nashville, there has been serious shor
 age of coal cars.
 | J. H. Doughty, division freight ager
 of the Frisco, left yesterday to atten
 meeting of officials and divisio
 heads.
 OTHER CHANGES
 Paul Wright, Southern .railwa
 freight agent at Birmingham. has bee 1 promoted to district freight agent ; | Atlanta.
 Other changes to be made which al
 feet Birmingham men or men know