Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-04-30
G / stands for load

Upon comparing the schedule of the two COM
missions, it will he seen that the Tennessee Com
missions schedule is taken almost word for word
from the Georgia schedule, and the only labor
which the Tennessee Commission seems to have
bestowed on their schedule to copy the Geor-
gia schedule; except an occasional changing in
rates. Notably, the railroads in Tennessee
allowed to charge the farmer on his product,
about third more than the railroads in Geor-
sia, and the Republican lessee Of the Tennessee
penitentiary, by decree of the Democratic Com
mission, gets his manufactured goods carried
over the railroads at about half what the same
markable thing about this Tennessee schedule is
that it copied from the Georgia schedule, all
except the last column, and that is devoted to
| agricultural implements, wagons ana vehicles
of all kinds Q: r., furniture packed o. R., door
factured by the lessees of the penitentiary. And
thing unknown in railroad circles heretofore,
and furniture at the same rate-the two principal
products Of the penitentiary manufsctory;. The
wagons an d furniture.
1t will be observed upon examining the table
oad, the rate fixed in Georgia is seven cents per
100 pounds for distance of fifty miles, while in
Tennessee the railroads allowed to ch 1rge the
| farmer ten cents. And the same thing obtains
1 to grain, peas bran, hay, straw and mill stuits
pounds for distance of fifty miles is six and
Il half cents, while in Tennessee the farmer pays
I the railroad nine cents for the same distance.
But when we come to the goods manufactured by
| the Republican lessee of the state prison, how
| charge on wagons for a distance of fifty miles
| twenty-five cents per 100 pounds, while in Ten.
l nesgee they must haul them for eleven cents
And on furniture the Georgia Commission allows
i the railroads twentyseven cents per 100 pounds,
while the Tennessee requires them to carry it for
| eleven eents-the same price as wagons. Com
/ ment is unnecessary The public can draw its
l own conclusions
| The Railroad Commissioners Answer
the Above.
/ The insinuations contained in the above
| editorial were SO groundless and unreas-
enable and so utterly foreign to the mo-
L bafh apfr of taH f1r1lis
| sion, and the purpose of said publication
| so obvious to us, that we deemed it un-
necessary to notice it. But as there seems
| 10 be desire ON the part of a portion of
the public to hear from us in regard
thereto, we now do so. Why we should
be spoken of in connection witha lawsuit,
which said article says the lessee of the
penitentiary has brought against the press,
we are utterly ignorant, as we are not par
ties to or any wise connected, officially or
personally, with the suit we suppose to be
| referred to. And why we should be
spoken of or connected by said article
with Mr.. Cherry in regard to our duties
! and actions in revising the tariffs of the
| railroads in the State, we are equally ig-
| norant. And, in view of the imputation
| thus cast upon him as well as upon our
selves, it is due to that gentleman, to our
selves and to truth, to say that Mr. Cherry
| has never been in our office since we have
been Railroad Commissioners, nor has he
ever said one word to us at any time or
any place on the subject of rates of trans
portation on wagons, furniture or any
thing else nor was Mr.. Cherry or any oi
! his partners in business ever thought OF
dreamed OF when we made out our basia
|, or table of suggested rates, by which we
! proposed to revise the tariffs of the rail.
, roads, and which basis of rates said edi.
torial attempts to criticise. Neither did
, Mr.. Cherry or any of his partners in busi-
, | ness or any of his employees or friends
/ ever speak a word or make 2 suggestion OF
intimation to US in regard 10 the rates in
said basis or any other.
what the Lew Requires.
! The next error we invite attention to is,
| that said editorial speaks of this commits
! sion having fixes rates for the railroads in
/ Tennessee. when what it calls our fixed
S rates has exp. essiy this caption: "a basis
. prepared W the Railroad Commission of
! Tennessee by which to revise the tariffs Of
: I the variois railroads in the State" The
t law REQ ires us to carefully consider and
9 revisa'sthe tariffs of charges of the corpora
: ton ef person operating railroad in this
e State al d if in our judgment any such
Y charge is more than just and reasonable
E compensation for the service for which it is
proposed to be made, we are to notify the
e Icsrporation, or person, of the changes
a recessary to reduce the rate oi
+ :harges to just and reasonable com.
!. tpensation and to avoid unjust and
: Unreasonable discrimination, etc. Now
; this basis referred to in said editorial as
7 fixing rates was prepared for the convent
} | ence OF comparison, as a table of proposed
I rates by which to facilitate the revision oi
: the tariffs OF the roads in the State, and if
, after hearing the proof of the roads on any
changes we might propose in their tariffs
/, it should be just and reasonable to make
such changes conform to any of the rates
| suggested in this basis we would do so
l Otherwise not.
Il Again. it IS charged that our proposed
| rates are copy OF the Georgia rates. This
! charge is contradicted by the writer oi
! said article himself in..the table he gives
above, showing that our proposed rates
! are different from those of the Georgis
/, Commission, and by iais subsequent com
/, ments showing that they are different sn6
: criticising rs because they are so. 1t is true
. we had before US the tariffs established by
!, the Georgia Commission and have ayaile6
I ourselves OF the reports and labors OF tha
! successful and experienced board, as vi
did of those of Illinois, Missouri, Ala
:, bama, South Carolina and other States
= and Just as lawyers in one State avail
J, themselves of the reports and adjudica
= t;oas of the courts OF other States, anC
n inst ssthis able and experienced Georgis
= fommiSion acknowledges in its first re
: mort its Indebtedness to the reports an6
iaborx al thu older commissions OF othel
v