Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-03

which has been raised by private subscrip-
tons. Ihis building is the finest for it, pur-
pose IN south Georgia, and the people Of
Nprth are justly proud Of their great under
taking.
ID. 4. Paxton. one Of the most prominent
producers II naval stores in the State his tur-
pent ne farm covering about 7.C0O acres
claims that his business has been greatly in
Jureu uy the operations Of the railroad com
mission law Oi Georgia Upon being inter
viewed by capt. Waller. Of the Thomasville
EHteTI,riss, Mr. Paxton said. "Tne great
trouble In the way is simply this: We cannot
ship low grades Of rOsins at all, because the
allroada- under existing laws, cannot afford
% 10 so at anything like living rates The ef-
lect 4 ihat we can only operate virgin forests
one year. and then must abandon them.
IL inferior rosins could be handled the forests
could De- worked with profit az least Is wears.
mat mas deem the experience for generations
past IN North Carolina and elsewhere. The
loss 70 the country by the rapid exhaustion Of
our pine forests can hardly be estimated. The
loss which results from cur inability 70 con-
tinue the manufacture Of the inferior grades
OF ro7ins Is the less Of a steady annual income
60 the country. II the pine trees could be
uililLed year after year. and it were profitable
10 protect them from the raVagcs Of fire, thcv
could DE rehOXed every few wears Once
burned, however, they are worth
less Tor naval stores purposes ever
afterwards. The individual losses 70 distil-
lers. too, can hardly be estimated as prices
vary sometimes the profits would be greater,
sometimes less, but the average receiut4 from
TINS source would always be considerable. At
present the losses must always be great as
every year the old boxes now useless. might
easily Doc made profitable. Being ready cut
there would be nothing 10 DO but cultivate
them. attribute this TO the railway COM
mission law as DO stands az present. and To the
action ol the commission in their regulation
OF rates. The rates Of the railways have fire.
IueulF been too high for "a profitable prOduc-
ton 81 naval stores; but formerly when this
" A7 SHOWN, the companies would equallZe
matters hy allowing us rebates. Under the
present laws, however they cannot do this.
The Railway Commission cannot force the
railway companies to transport inferior r0s-
ms az lower rates, so as 10 make their prOduc-
ton profitable, without increasing the rates
ON higher grades, because the commission re
Iuire5 the company 20 regulate their rates
according 20 distance, and a. the rates now
from short distances from Savannah amount
tD almost nothing, the companies must be al
lowell enough on long hauls to make up their
losses on short distances. The commission
require tins 10 prevent as they say, unjust
discrimination against any point. Ii the
rates were reduced 10 us, they would, on a
basis oi distance, run out TO nothing before
savannah was reached. The railway COM
mission law has worked and Is
working very dI-a-trously To The naval
stores interests OF South Georgia. III the pres
eut condition Of affairs continues the industry
must Uc wound up. Before the commission
Jaw existed We paid go cents per barrel from
'cElockOuCc % savannah. Now we pay 59ig
cents. or q difference OF 1917 cents Der barrel.
duct Of about S.OoO barrels l,j60 year more
than the railway company wanted me TO pay
when they had control of their own business,
and IN those days the industry had not as
-umed ythiug like its present proportions,
and naval stores brought better prices. Per
-ludHy. / am ln favor of going back
TO first principles and allowing the
roads 20 man ge their own affairs.
The commission does not know ANYTHING at
all about the nature and requirements Of the
naval stores industry. / don't suppose they
know the real difference between a barrel OF
pitch and barrel Of rOsin, or the process and
cost Of making either. Therefore it is impo.-
siblc for them 90 properly regulate rates. II
Will take but few ears under the existing
state ui affairs for the whole pine section OF
southern Georgia to DE exhausted, the forests
tO Doe worthless, and the manufacture of naval
stores to ie an obsolete business. Last year
there was an immense Oyorpr0ductiOn Of vir-
gin rosius because Of the UnprOhtabeness Of
turning out inferior grades. This rot only
caused loss TO producers and low prices. but
has also caused a rapid and useless exhaustion
ui our pine forests