The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-06-01

made money by the operation. We certain
~ nave no objection to merchant at Lex
ington shipping hsi goods to Salisbury, and
II he makes money by it, so much the better
Tor him. The tariff was made lower at Sails
bury for the purpose of encouraging
the people on the line of the Western North
Carolina Railroad to ship their produce to
market. During Mr.. Turner's administra-
ton the tariff was so high from Salisbury
that the people along the line of the West
ern road complained that they could not
ship a great many articles on account of
MIR. Turner's extraordinarily high rates.
Alter took charge of this, the North
Carolina Railroad, Col. Tate, Superintend-
ent of the Western North Carolina Rail
road, laid facts before me which con-
WINGED me that it was to the interest of this
Company, as well as to the people along the
line of his road, that the tariff should be
reduced to Salisbury-thcreby giving an
outlet to freights which had been locked
up by Mr.. Turner's high tariffs A mer-
chant or farmer at Lexington can afford to
ship articles from there to New York at
the present tariff but merchant or farmer
at Morganton, or some other station a hum
bred miles or less up the Western North
Carolina Railroad could not afford
to pay what the Lexington merchant
paid, and then "prorate per mile
to his place, as it would be so high
that he could not ship his article at all.
Hence we carry goods long distances at less
per mile than short distances. .B" will see
at once that if we were to make rate with
the Western North Carolina Railroad to
Salisbury at less than We charge the
merchants of Salisbury, they would
have much more room to complain than
"B" has about his rabbit skins. If"B"
had laid his complaint before the proper
officer, or any officer of this road, and there
was really an overcharge, the amount over
charged would have been refunded at once
Every merchant upon the line of this road
will certify that over-charge and loss and
damage is paid much more promptly now
than during Mr.. Turner'S or any other ad-
ministration of the affairs of this road. We
have suits now pending against US for over
charge and loss and damage of freights, ex-
tending back through every administration
as far back as 1860. l am not aware OF any
suit for these things during my administers
ton. where party suing, had really * claim
and rendered It before bringing lissacti5n.
When we have defended suits after having
been notified by claimant of the nature and
amount of his demand, we have been sus-
tanned by the courts. We have had scme
trouble in this respect with such persons as
" B" who would sue for spite, before inform
ing the authorities at this office of the exis-
tence of claim, thus giving us trouble
about very small affairs, which would have
been corrected had there been anything to
correct, and had it been brought to the at
tention of the proper officer. But these
small fry fellows like I" B" are the most
troublesome of our patrons "B's" remarks
about Rings and Billy blow your horn"
are stale, fiat and borrowed for the hun
dreth time, and can only serve to show what
an ass "B" is. Some men can never see
anything only through their political specta-
Giles and really do imagine every one as
mean and low as themselves. This seems to
be the case with "B." 1 owe the public an
apology for noticing this fellow at all, and
would not do so but for the information
it will give the western merchant and far
mer, who has heretofore been cut off from
the markets of the country by the high
tariff that existed during Mr. Turner'S adj
ministration, but which have now been re-
duced so as to enable them tu ship what
ever they have for market. And will state
| here that if the tariff is still too high
from any station on the North Carolina or
| Western North Carolina Railroad on any
article, and the article cannot be shipped
to market for that reason, 1 will make
such rates as will justify its shipment.
And if "B." had applied to me and stated
as fact that he could not pay the usual
rates upon his rabbit skins, as they were
badly damaged by wolves" and most Of
them were caught in summer and would
bring Gerry little in market, I assure him he
should have been charged only according to
real value, and a special rate made to suit
his case 81
Respectfully,
| w. A. SMITH,
| Drao,t NJ n D D ~