The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-06-18
FUTHER TESTIMONY AT THE
GALVESTON INVESTIGA-
TION INTO THE RE-
OWNERSHIP.
WHAT RECEIVER BONNER SAYS
How the Receivers Found the Internrtion-
al and What They Did for 1t.
Rich, Rare and Racy.

GALVESTON, June 1S.-The legisla'
tive committee resumed its investiga-
tion into the International and Great
Northern receivership at 10 a. m. to.
day. Col. T. NJ Bonner, one of the
receivers, who, while under crossex-
animation by Judge Finley, was with
drawn to allow Judge Clark to testify
as to the usual salaries allowed re-
ceivers, attorneys and special masters
in receivership cases In which he
Clark, was engaged, and also to
allow W. B. Slosson to testify as to the
salaries paid receivers by the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas railway, was re-
called and his cross examination re-
sumed by Judge Finley. Receiver
Bonner was on the stand the entire
session and testified substantially as
follows:
Receivers vouchers were kept on file
in the auditors Office at Palestine to
which the certified orders of the court
were attached The total dieburse-
ments in period of six months was
about 81, 100000, the validity of which
was passed upon by the special master
in chancery and approved by the
court. The physical and financial
condition of the road when it passed
into the hands of the receivers was
bad. They found only $23 600 on hand
when appointed. They were ap-
pointed on the 10th of March,
1889, and found claims Que and
unpaid amounting to $4,000. Taken
altogether the road was not in good
condition. Parts of it was very bad
The stations were poor and dilapi-
| dated. Much of the road was un-
ballasted. There was a general de-
4 ficiency in rolling stock. The engines
were old and some were worn out.
The cars were poor and not sufficient
to give proper and prompt dispatch to
| the traffic of the road. Under the
\ management of the receivers II miles
of old track, had been relaid with 56
4 pound steel rails. The road had been
ballasted. Iron bridges had been
placed across the Guadalupe, Brazos,
Trinity and Neches rivers, and Brushy
/ creek numbers one and two. Six
teen new engines had been
2purchased, six passenger cars
and four or six baggage cars, while
the remaining rolling stock had been
1 thoroughly overhauled and repaired
New and handsome depots had been
erected at various points; valuable
property had been purchased for
depot purposes at Georgetown and @
good building cree ed; replaced old
wooden worthless tanks with iron
ones of the most improved pattern;
replaced rotten and worn out ties with
| new ones; fenced over 800 miles of the
line, which proved q great saving to the
company; the generally improved
pbysical condition of the road increased
the speed of trains by the betterment
of the track and rolling stock, and
thereby rendered accident aess liable
The Columbia Tap portion of the
line was,yet in bad condition. The
traffic over it would not warrant large
expenditures to put it in good condi-
tiOn. The betterment of the main
line. as described, had largely increas
ed the earning capacity of the road
and enaJbled it to accommodate all the
traffic seeking transportation over it,
Investigation of Gould's obligation on
the company was committed to Col
Herndon, and it was for money that
was DUE He remembered looking into
the validity of the Gould debt. He
understood the amount claimed was
correct and due. and thought proper to
;hayer no investigation made never con
ferEed but once with @. Il. Bonner; did
not question his statement; did not
send 8 telegram to Attorney General
Hogg, communicating fact of stock
holders' meeting of the International
and Great Northern; had no agree
ment or understanding with him;
thought Intervention should be sus-
tanned. His impression was that the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas people
were intervening to get control OF the
International and Great Northern;
was not at Palestine when the injunc-
ton was served; did not know it was
to be served; was not surprised when
it was; did not know of meet
ing Gen. Eddy prior to the
Injunction; recollected meeting
him afterward and thought it
was the purpose of the Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas to secure control of the
International and Great Northern and
operate it in their interest; was not in
court when Finley rendered his resig-
nation; did not know what took place
in the court room; knew the day of
resignation as the day that Finley had
been allowed $4,000, and spoke to
! Finley about It,
Redirect by Alexander Witness