Evening star., 1930-05-23
EXCURSION TRAIN
i PLAN CALLED Off
AS CROWDS WAIT
Potential Voters in North
Carolina Primary Left
in Washington.
800 PASSENGERS LEFT
IN MILLING CROWD
Failure Of Promoter to Put Up Re-
! quired Bond Cancels Schedule
Hour Before Departure.

All dressed up, visions of the silvery
lakes. the green-clad mountains anu
rolling plains of their native North Car
olina in their minds, about 600 Iar-
heels gathered at the Union Station last
night and milled about as excursion
Mace to 20 on the SIS railroad excursion
tickets they held or expected to buy.
One hour before the gay party was 10
have embarked, with hundreds OF men,
women and children all ready for the
iourney. the announcement was mace
that the excursion, widely adVertlseo,
had been Cancelled.
AS O result a lot OF potential votes
won't be cast in the North Carolina prl-
mary this Summer, for many Of the ex-
cursionists> were on their way to regis
ter-the final day for registration OF
voters in North Carolina being tomor-
row.
Promoter Returning Money.
John l.. Gibson, former washington
policeman, who promoted the excur-
sion. was busy today at his temporary
ONCE. SIS Munsey Building, refunolng
the money he received for tickets ana
explaining to North Carolinians why the
excursion was called OH.
Gibson this morning took all the
blame unto himself and his backer, VINO
was absent at the crucial moment last
night. 49,,
excursion train was arranged 1or sew
eral DAYS ago on basis OF q nat cnar-
ter of the train to Gibson for $2,ooO,
the train to make the trip from tne
Capital to Asheville. N. C., and way
stations and return. At the time OF
offered to put up q deposit on the
charter. but was told by the railroad
officials that none was required-tnat
he could pay the entire amount OF the
charter price as late as one hour before
train time.
cu...un Gibson previously had gone 10
officials of two other railroaos--tne
Seaboard Air Line and the Atianuc
Coast Line-with a similar proposition,
pointing out the closing date for regis.
attraction for excursionistS TO the Olo
North State.
Sale Too Light.
His arrangements completed with the
Southern, Gibson put on q Dig cam.
paign for ticket buyers. Up to about
S o'clock yesterday afternoon ne nao
done pretty well, selling about 400 nve.
dollar tickets. More were being sold
at the Union Station until the trap was
Cancelled at $3.50 O'Clock last night.
The ticket sale, however, ACCORDING 70
Gibson, was not as heavy as had been
expected, due to the fact that the other
two railroads offered tickets for half
fare plus Is cents to those desiring 10
90 to North Carolina to register Tor
fhe primary. Trains on these two ROADS
Yesterday carried passengers at the re-
duced rate and today were dong IKE
wise.
charter price of the train drew near
last night, Gibson checked up his ac-
counts and found he was shy some
money for the chartering OF the traln.
The Southern Railroad was Obdurate-
no chartered train would leave the
wards until the money was put up.
Then Gibson did some hurried search
ing for his backer to get check Tor
the amount needed to get the train out
of the yards. The backer could not be
found, so there was nothing to do but
call OF the trip.
Over 600 Passengers.
Gibson estimated that altogether
more than 600 persons arrived at the
Union Station last night to take the
trip, more than enough to bring in q
profit on the venture. Many, he ex-
planned, waited until they arrived at
the station to try to get tickets. and,
as the sale Of pasteboards was dis
continued an hour before the train was
to have left, could not buy them.
The trip, Gibson explained. original
" was planned as q booster trip for
Asheville, N. c., but was timed so that
the added incentive Of registering for
the primary could be used for adver-
Using. Sandwich men have been going
about town for several days advertis-
ing the trip.
Gibson said he will plan another
excursion to North Carolina for the
Fourth Of July, the train starting the
night Of July 8.