Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-04-20
Campaign Bound
To Be State Wide
6sg Meet To Be Held Here May 4th:
G. c. Smith Speaks

BY a rousing vote Fitzgerald citi-
zens. Tuesday endorsed the principles
of the State Ownership of the A b
& A., and extended an invitation to
the legislature of Georgia to meet here
on May the 9TH.
At the invitation of the Chamber
OF Commerce Hon. G. C. Smith. of
Brunswick, addressed mass meeting
OF citizens at the Court House Tues
morning, in the interest of the move
ment started in Atlanta, to save the
"A. b. & A. from the junk pile and to
SECURE the consent of the voters of
georgia, to. purchase this magnificent
property, should it reach a Stage in
ITS present financial difficulties. when
The U. S. Court would order it sold.
Hon. VIM. R. Bowen, acting as
chairman of the meeting, with a few
wei! timed remarks introduced Mr..
Smith to the audience who in detail
gave. brief history of the road from
its first entrance into our city, as the
Waycross Airline, its later adoption
OF the b. & B. and consolidation with
the A. & B. and finally its extension
to Atlanta and Birmingham under its
present corporate title of the A. B &
For a number of yeors in the earIv
ueVeioirlent OF the railroad property he
was superintendent of this road and
was familiar with the various changes
mat 1t passed through. As an exper-
fenced railroad man, Mr.. Smith ques-
,iohed the necessity of its late troub-
les and gave as his opinion that the
road at present is largely suffering
from the effects of wrong diagnosis
by the doctor. in charge of the patient
and the administering of the wrong
medicine for its ailment." That the
early sale of this property was ininent
and that thus far no bona fide pur-
chaser was in sight, was given as the
motive for the organization of a move
ment to secure Legislative action early
IN the June session of the State legis-
lature, which would enable the State
to purchase the A. B. & A. and extend
the State road to The sea, should il
become necessary to save the property
from being junked. to tn, groa loss
OF the state at large and asncc;al'v the
large territory served by it
According to Mr.. Smith the prop
erty joined with the w. & A would
be fine investment for the Sta c and
secure for the State the best of port
facilities at Brunswick The indebt-
edness of the road is said to be about
ten million dollars, which the legisla-
ture would have 20 authorize and the
voters ratity at the next general cleo
ton. AT the conclusion of Mr.. Smiths
remarks the following resolution was
written by l. Gelders and handed to
col. A. ]. Mcdonald for its introduc-
ton:
Resolution:
"RESOLVED-Tha- the citizens of
fitzgerald and Ben Hill County. in
convention assembled, do herebv in
dorse in principle the proposed purch-
ase of the A. B. & A. railway bv the
state of Georgia as an extension to the
otate road and for its protection. and
EREAS, a meeting has been
called for the purpose Of perfecting
the de'ails for statewide campaign
to secure the cooperation of all Geor-
gia to this proposed purchase. we ex-
tend an invitation to senator's repre-
sehtatiVes, the legislature and the peo-
PIE PIE OF Georgia to meet with US in
fitzgerald on that date"
Mr.. ]. H. Mayes offered some OBJ
Jeectlons TO the adoption OF the res
oiution, which were were replied to bv
COL Mcdonald and 1. Gelders and
accepted by a unanimous vote.
Judge o. T. Cover, who had gra-
ciously consented to suspend court
tor this meeting, spoke on the need
OF clearer and more persistent think
ing on the part of the people gener-
ally and eulogized the men who are
making an honest effort, to save this
large section of Georgia the only rail-
road serving it.
A resolution offered bv A. 7. Nc
Donald, urging the Representatives in
congress and the Georgia Senators to
favor Henry Ford in his offer for
Mussel Shoals and inviting Mr.. Ford
to meet with us here on May fourth
was also adopted. Chairman Bowen
was authorized to appoint commit
tee of Is citizens to take charge of
the arrangements for the mass meet
ing. and provide entertainment for the
visitors.
Meeting Called Off
BY action of the committee of Is.
nineteen of whom met at the Cham
Der OF Commerce at 500 P. M. to-
day, Chairman Bowen was authorized
to withdraw the invitation to the Leg
islature of Georgia, extended at the
meeting on Tuesday.