The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-17
TRAFFIC BODY IS
SILENT ON PLANS
FOR RIVER ACTION
After Conference Leaders
Will Apparently Wait For
Further DEVELOPMENTS

Officials of the Birmingham Traf-
TIC association are not stating what
action will be taken by that body
with reference to the Warrior trans
portation embargoes following the
special meeting of directors held
Wednesday,
The meeting was in executive ses-
sion and, pending developments. on
which it appears that the Traffic
association intends to wait, no hint
of what was done at Wednesdays
meeting is given.
The Chamber of Commerce direc
tors meet at ESQ this afternoon and
Will also canvass the Warrior sit
uation.
o. l.. Bum. manager of the Traffic
association. was unable to be present
yesterday on account of being en-
gagged in shippers cases before In
terstate Commerce Examiner Cassidy.
Mr.. Crawford Present.
George Gordon Crawford. president
of the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Rail-
road company. which Is chief stock
holder in the Port of Birmingham
company that built Birmingport and
is the largest shipper on the river,
was present at the meeting OF the
Traffic association. Those present
will not state what advice Mr.. Craw
b
status that has developed following
the embargoes. but 1t is presumed
that his views as the leading patron
of the river were sought and I'M
portant.
Mr.. Bhnn, to whom statement of
what had transpired at the meeting
was later made by Secretary Jones.
said that the situation had been
thoroughly and carefully gone into,
hi ~ hePn
formulated. Another meeting Will
be held following that Of the cham
Der directors today and other devel-
opments IL necessary.
At the meeting yesterday were
President E. Wilkinson. an original
Warrior enthusiast; Mr.. Crawford.
Thornton Estes, Paul Earle. George
d. Johnston, Morris Bush and Secre-
tary Jones.
w. w. Seay, secretary of tho Tus-
caloosa Traffic association. was also
present as representative of the ship
pers of Tuscaloosa and took part in
the discussion.
Mobile Acts.
Mobile has also acted. Frederick
1. Spauldng, chairman of the traffic
department of the Mobile Chamber of
Commerce. has dispatched inquiries
to members of Congress, the mem
b>rs Of the shipping board and the
inland waterways service, asking the
reason for the curtailed service. Mr.
Spaulding says that Mobile is vigor-
ously protesting the embargoes and
fails to understand why in one quar-
ter the embargo Is credited to the
unfair divisions of through rates
with the rail carriers and in another
quarter to obsolete condition of craft
Mobile shippers are quoted as asking
how\this craft got to be so absolutely
and thoroughly obsolete so sud-
denly"
The Texas Rate.
With reference to Colonel Ashburne's
criticism of his position, Mr.. Bum
said: Colonel Ashburne Is talking
about rate from st. Louis to Mobile.
l was talking about the rate wa
asked to Texas via New Orleans
points for our iron and steel prod
ucts to parallel the rates grantee
st. Louis to Texas points on these
products The St. Louis to Mobile
matter was not involved In the Bir-
mingham to Texas rate of when
was speaking.
I'VE are not antagonizing Colonel
Ashburne. We are simply watcnlns
out for our interests. We have our
good Birmingham money invested IN
the Warrior and are trying to make
good on that investment