Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1909 — TRAINS TO START ON GEORGIA ROAD [ARTICLE]

TRAINS TO START ON GEORGIA ROAD

Crews of Negroes and Non* Union Firemen. MAKESHIFT LINES RUNNING Experiments Are Being Made In Order to Get Mails In Motion and the State Is Interested Intensely In the Manner of Reception That WITI Be Accorded the First Locomotives and Coaches to Go Over Ralls Since Early In the Week. Atlanta, May 28.— A crisis will be reached today in the Georgia railroad strike. It will come in the starting of twelve trains carrying mail only through a community quivering with intense Interest as to whether white or black firemen will win the present struggle. The gravest concern is felt in this breaking of the ice by the first train run in five days in a community which has supported the racial contention of the strikers. The crews are to be made up at the general offices of the road. The mall clerks will be negroes. There will be twelve train crews. Half of the firemen will be negroes and the white men selected to go out on trains are not members of the firemen’s brotherhood. Where three days ago communities were sending out appeals for provisions, there now exists a well developed wagon and automobile service. At Thomson, Ga., every merchant was running a line of wagons to Augusta, thirty-seven miles away, and a traction engine and car was working under lease at the rate of $25 per day. By carriage and by automobile, the round trip to Augusta was from $3.50 to $7 a person.