Weekly Jeffersonian, 1907-02-28

already as a result the Atlan Atlantic - tic Atlantic Coast Line has begun to practical practically - ly practically rebuild many of its lines in that state, so that travel and traffic over them may become safe and expedi expeditious. - tious. expeditious. Where a railroad management doesn't believe in this sort of thing, they ought to be convinced of it by proper proceedings instituted either by the citizens or the state officials. No better test case could be made than with the Georgia railroad, which is largely owned by the people of Georgia, but practically operated by two of the big railway system of the south - Atlantic Coast Line and the Louisville and Nashville. It is an ob object - ject object lesson that cannot fail to impress forcibly, publicly, and far-reachlngly both the rights of the people and tho duty of railroad managers in the hand handling - ling handling of these public carrier corpora corporations. - tions. corporations. Let's begin to think a litt'le bit less of bigger and bigger net earn earnings - ings earnings and to think a little bit more bf the safety, security and convenience of the public, whose dollars and whose lives make possible these very same net earnings. - Augusta Herald.

which is capitalized at four million, two hundred thousand dollars ($4,200,- 000), and whose last year's net in income - come income is reputed to have been some something - thing something like nine hundred thou thousand - sand thousand dollars ($900,000), and which income we may safe safely - ly safely assume is going to continue to grow greater and greater, is going to be al allowed - lowed allowed to run up net earnings while it neglects its track and road bed until travel over it becomes notoriously un unsafe - safe unsafe and unexpeditious. The remedy for the situation is undoubtedly more tracks and better tracks, more cross ties that are sound and less that are rotton; heavier rail, more ballast, in fact, anything and everything that makes for safety, security and promptness of the public service that this railroad was chartered by the state to do. In Florida, where the attorney gen general - eral general of the state, in behalf of the peo people, - ple, people, has instituted against the Atlan Atlantic - tic Atlantic Coast Line practically the same suit that Mr. Phinizy's petition has brought up to the Railroad Commis Commission - sion Commission and to the people of tho state

All told some twenty-six pages of closely printed matter in regard to the condition of the Georgia railroad has been furnished the Railroad Com Commission - mission Commission of the state by Mr. Bowdre Phinizy. In the meantime, since this agitation was started and since the original petition was filed, we have seen the directors of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company, the company which owns the Georgia rail railroad, - road, railroad, but which does not operate the road, having leased it to the Atlantic Coast Line and the Louisville & Nash Nashville, - ville, Nashville, pass a resolution at their quar quarterly - terly quarterly meeting, practically joining in with Mr. Phinizy's petition, asking for an investigation of the conditions on this road, and also asking for an ex examination - amination examination by an expert as to condi conditions - tions conditions and guaranteeing all expenses. There has never been a more mo momentous - mentous momentous question up before the Rail Railroad - road Railroad Commission of the state than the question that Mr. Phinizy has raised in his petition. There has never been a question up before the commission

that demanded a more thorough, searching, impartial and competent expert investigation, an investi investigation - gation investigation that will not be hur hurriedly - riedly hurriedly made in a special train, but an investigation that will be complete and thorough and able and convinc convincing, - ing, convincing, even if it takes a month of two months to make it. Nothing less than this will satisfy the public; nothing less than this ought to satisfy the Railroad Commission on the one hau l or the parties to this proceeding on the order. Mr. Phinizy has not been timid or backward in making the allegations in his petition, and he has not been over modest in indicating at the re request - quest request of the Railroad Commission just what relief he thinks the public is entitled to at their hands. It isn't a little question that is up for discus discussion, - sion, discussion, it isn't just a little repair and patchwork in places, it really doesn't matter whether or not the depot at James' needs a new roof or not, but it is a question of whether or not a railroad enjoying special and excep exceptional - tional exceptional charter rights by the state,