The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-03-06

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The special Joint Committecof the two
houses Of the Legislature, raised to confer
with the Baltimore ( Ohio Railroad Off.
cials in regard to the deadlock between
the Company and the legislature, met at
O'Clock yesterday morning and were in
session all day and evening, vico Presi.
dent Keyscr was before them several
hours, aud was subjected to Il long course
Of iterrsgation upon the numerous com.
plants and grievances and difficulties up.
pertaining to the whole subject matter.
Several prominent shippers from West
Virginia and Maryland were also be.
fore the Committee, among them
Mr., strouss Of the Irondale Furnace,
Mr., De Ford, OF the Morgan and Mineral
county tannerieS, Mr.. Mayer, the largest
coal shipper at Clarksburg, and various
other parties, all Of whom testified that
unless the present situation was relieved
by some agency or othcr-either the State
or the railroad company-thcir respective
operations would be entirely suspended
and dried up. For instance, Mr.. StrOuss
testified that 1t cost him SIC per ton to
make iron at Ircndale, 81 50 per ton to
ship 1t to Wheeling where he got Sl5
for IL leaving him ut the special
rates allowed him prior to March LIST, 81 A
per ton for profit. Now, By the with
drawal Of all special rates, the freight
would be 81 10, which would be 81 10 ola
loss on every ton shipped. lie had in.
vested $4,000 on the strength OF the ar.
rangements entered into beforehand with
the railroad company, and was employing
about 800 men in his ore, coal and furnace
operations, all OF whom would DO turned
idle upon society. The same thing would
happen ut Gladesville and Ironton. These
three furnaces employcd,aftogether about
100 men, and were just getting on their
feet but all would be blown ont and
stopped.
Tile leather and tanning interest was
largely represented from Morgan county,
in which county, US it seems, more money
ispaid out by this interest than all others
combined. Those who represented it
testified that it would be entirely ruined
il the special rates were withdrawn. The
same testimony was Offered by promi-
nent coal shipper at Fairmont. Indeed,
there was no variance whatever in the
character of the experience submitted to
the committee by shippers.
The ground gone over in Mr.. Eeyser'S
examination and answers is already famil-
lar to our readers, but inasmnch as the
topie is before the legislature in some
what new light, we give his speech before
the committee. Most Of the interrogation
was done by Col. johnson, Gov. jacob
and Mr.. Post. Post Is the most refresh
ingly direct interrogation we ever listened
to. He interrupted large shipper in the
course of warm little speech to in
quire il y he did not come to
Wheeling on o pass. "No, sir" said the
shipper, 81 paid my way with my own
money, and never in my life received a
pass from the company-ncvGr asked for
one and never wanted one. / prefer to
be under no obligations to the company"
This direct and pointed answer rather
took the irrcprcssible Post back u little for
M instant, inasnuCli rs he had rushed to
the combat rs il sure OF capturing
paid emissary lie missed it
that time. Col. johnson and the Vice.
President exchanged q good many good
naturcd but pretty sharp cross-fres. 1t
came to point, ut one stage Of the pro.
ceedings, where the latter observed that
he would DO willing to hazard five thou.
sand dollars to five cents that the Colonel
had otQuoted Albert Fink's testimony
before the Railroad Committee of Con.
gress correctly. The book was produced,
the testimony read, and the Vice
President claimed the Colonel's five
cents. The quotation vas somewhat
technical and involved, and the legislative
committee seemed willing to consider the
proper rendition OF Fink as a stand off
for both sides.
Gov Jacob put the following direct
questions to Mr.. Keyser:
Question-"Are we to understand that
il there is no legislative interference with
the operations Of the road under this new
tariff, and the company is permitted to
make special rates to shippers engaged in
the mining and lumber business, and all
the various interests OF the State, that
these special rates are TO be given without
discrimination 10 shippers Of all classes"
Answer-"That is my understanding"
Question -"Arc We to understand that
il this tariff should produce hardships or
pressure upon classes OF shippers that
have not been taken into consideration
by lis, and not contemplated by the Com.
pany, will the Company hold itself in
readiness TO correct such hardship"
Answer-Ics, sir. OF course do not
assume that the hardship Is to be ques-
ton solely to be judged by the shipper
Question-Suppose your classification OF
freight in this new tariff should be such rs
TO seriously injure shipper who is a
citizen OF this State, who is in competition
with citizens OF another State, would he
he protected under your classification?
Answer-We would endcavor to make
such rate rs to enable the shipper 10 Cet
his commodity to market nn terms iair
and equitable us compared with shippers
in other States.
The two Senators from the Marshall
district were before the committee. Sena.
tor Lowe said that he had Of late been
twice among his constituents in Marshall,
Wetzel and Marion counties, and that
their voice was for compromise. They
thought that Il the Legislature aud the
company were disposed to do what WINS