The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-21
OPERATIONS TO CENTER AT MOBILE Reorganization Of System Announced By Ash
 burn CAPT. B. V. PICKLEY TO MANAGE ROUTE Efforts Will Be Concen- trated On Birming-
 ham Trade THROUGH SERVICE TO BE MAINTAINED Additional Business To Require New Equipment, Observ-
 CTS Believe
THROUGH SERVICE
 TO BE MAINTAINED
(By Leased Wire.)

MOBILE, Ala, July 20.-The Warrior river branch of the federal barge lines has been granted abso- lute divorce from the Mississippi section of the service and will func- tion independently with keadquar- ters at Mobile. This means that all units of operation, now concen- trated at New Orleans, will be cen- tered at Mobile with the Warrior river branch having it's own officers and minor departments. At the same time, it will enable the War rior line to concentrate on increas- ing volume of business between Bir- mingham and Mobile, a long-sought goal, without intense cultivation of trade with New Orleans and along the gulf coast.
 Information of the radical order was received in a telegram from General Ashburn, executive of the Inland Waterways Corporation. The position of federal manager, held by Theodore Brent has been abolished. Mir. Brent will remain as traffic manager of the Inland Waterways Corporation.
 Pic1ley Is Manager
 Capt F. " Pickley, at present super intendent of maintenance, will be man ager at Mobile for the Warrior branch. Headquarters for the Mississippi branch of the service will be at St. Louis, the 1 finance and accounting department and the operating and traffic departments will function independently under the supervision of the Secretary of War through General Q. T. Ashburn.
 This is a consumation of General Or der No. 1, issued early this year and rescinded without ever having gone into effect. This order provided for the es- tablishment of separate units of opera tion and included the transfer of Capt. John M. Tucher, then assistant to Colonel Ashburn. to Mobile with Cap tain Pickley immediately beneath him. The general auditor of the system had deposited $25,000 in a Mobile bank for operating expenses of the Warrior and all employees were preparing to work under new conditions when the order was suddenly countermanded. No ex- planation was ever given for its spspen- sion.
 Far-Reaching Effects
 Tn. stfocts .-e {. z. nigh espee l- A. -le .~ntrs. All ,s 48sing, .= . u ma tera tar fhs ip cr. will be done fse;. 'sgb5. a aol fr,u, New Orleans as f+.--er ie dseat.s5 possible +hot rhc fe ...,-..:les 1..E reefs "a 8g e=ass!.f an5 ....- -41!-151i se- its. ashiis functioninig as separted units.
 T. K Jackson, chairman of the Mis- sissippi- Warrior committee of the Chamber of Commerce, declared last night that the order was fruition of plans of long standing. The step, said he, would enable the Mobile interests of the barge line to concentrate on nourishing business between Birming- ham and Mobile. A former attempt to divorce the lines, had been abandoned for the sake of harmony with Birming- ham interests, MT. Jackson concluded.
 The Inland Waterways Corporation succeeded the Inland Waterways serv- ice as operating element of the barge line on July 1. As provided in the Denison bill, so carefully fatehered and guided through Congress, an appropria- tion of $5,00O,00O was granted to allow the barge lines to operate independent ly and without recourse to Congress through the War Department for petty funds. With the order taking effect. minor matters which formerly had gone
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