The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-24
USES AND ABUSESOF ebert
A New Question Sprung at the Gen.
trail Railroad Hearing.


the Efficiency and Economy of the
Receiver. Mr.. MoNeely Not an Fx-
pert on a Receivers Duties. The In
terrogations Become Irrelevant. Gen.
Sorrel Gives Some Testimony About
the Ocean Steamships.
Mr.. Pat Calhoun brought out a new
topic in his examination of the central
officials yesterday morning and afternoon.
The majority of the testimony was in re-
gard 10 the ebert mine on the C. r. & c,
road which is owned and worked by
the Wadley Drawbar Co, which is cor
poration empowered to sell general rail
road supplies.
The testimony was no doubt intended
by the opposition TO show that a railway
supply company had been made up princi-
pally from officials of the Central, and
that they were trying 10 take advantage
of their positions to forward the interests
of a private enterprise The testimony,
however, would hardly sustain this point
A number of the Central's officials
are connected with this corporation,
but nothing in the evidence tended to
show that they had in any way taken adj
vantage of the Central in any OF their
dealings with it. On the other hand it
WIS olONn bil1b NilC tplAtIdLN 4Ahhs IA a
number Of instances, made large deduc-
tions in whatever supplies they had fur
nished the road.
THE MORNINGS TESTIMONY.
Mr. Edward Mcintyre and Mr.. Frank
L. Jette were the first witnesses on the
stand Nothing particularly new was
brought out, the testimony of these wit
nesses being largely in regard to the eff
cheney of the receivers management of
the property, and the pursuit of economy
in every department.
The ebert mine of the Wadley Draw
bar Co, on the c. r. e. G. road was refer
red to and Mr.. Calhoun asked what posi-
tions its incorporators held with the Cen
trail, which was given Among the incor-
porators were Frank S. Jette, master of
transportation j. j. Anderson, master
mechanic at the Savannah shops; Mr..
McGhee, master mechanic at the Macon
shops; VIM. Hunter, chief engineer; J.
F. Ba6bitt. jr., former purchasing agent
of the Central, 7. G. McNeely, superin-
tendent ofthe main stem, Mr.. Wadley and
others. The question of the ebert mine
was more fully cleared up at the afternoon
investigation.
Gen G. M. Sorrell was also on the
stand at the morning session. His testi-
mony was mainly with regard 10 the con-
dition of the Ocean Steamships and lhe
work of that company. The ships had
deteriorated with age, he said, and bust
ness was now managed according to in
structlons from the receiver on a strictly
economical basis. On account of low,
foreign freight rates, business had faller
or materially of late, and the short crops
were also responsible for the decrease.
He testified at to the economy of the re-
ceivers administration and said he did
not believe affairs could be managed more
carefully or with more efficiency. A good
cotton year he said was usually good
year for the company, but business at
present was light While they have
heavy freights going north, the traffic
coming south is very light Two ships,
he said, are now laid up for repairs.
THAT ebert NINE INVESTIGATED.
At the afternoon session Mr.. T. G..
McNeely superintendent of the main
stem of the central was placed on the
stand. He had charge of the line from
Savannah to Chattanooga and was ques-
toned closely with regard to the cross
ties on his division, as TO the manner of
purchasing them, and the price paid which
averaged 80 cents per tie
Mr.. McNeely was familiar with the
Wadley Draw-bar Co., knew what its
object and purposes were, and was to a
CERTAIN extent interested in it but was
neither q director or officer of the con-
Germ.
.'Do you know anything about a ebert
mine on the G. r. E Q. road Mr.. Cal
| houn asked.
| Eyes, sir was the reply.
y MIR. McNeely stated that the mine was
opened by hands on the main stem divis-
ion, and that some Of the ebert had been
laid in Macon.
"Who laid the ebert on the streets of
Macon2" asked Mn. Calhoun.
Il don't know" said Mr. McNeely.
\. -, ~
main stem division?" Mr. Calhoun
asked
Macon is not under the control of the
main stem division" replied Mr.. Nc
Nicely, rather sharply land / can't an
swer authoritatively on that subject"
1t was shown that chest had been
used in and around the depots at Macon
and Griffin, and that ten miles of track
on the c. r. and Q. had been banasted
with it. 1t had, he said, been of a great
advantage TO the road. He testified that
there were now only four hands to the
section, whereas ninety days ago there
had been five
THE ebert MINE THEORY EXPLODED.
Mr.. Calhoun was evidently attempting
to show that the Wadley Drawbar Com
pany was taking advantage of the posi-
tlons of its officers TO unload the product
on the Central, but Mr. Cunningham s
NAbo'-NAtiAniiAtttlOl SLONGu GLldt blllS IuGOE1
was groundless.
1t was shown that two acres of this
ebert mine was the property of the Cen
trial; that the ebert, which was MKT
ure Of gravel and kaolin, had been used
for ballasting and improving the depots
in Macon and Griffin that the ebert was
found to be better than plank floors, and
that the Central had used ebert before the
Wadley Drawbar Co. had had anything
to do with the mine
A proposition had been made to Mr..
Conner looking to the purchase of the
mine by the road but Mr. Conner said the
road could not afford the money for it,
and refused TO entertain it.
During his examination Mr. Calhoun had
referred TO some crossties which had been
shipped away from the Central Railroad
by the Wadley Drawbar Co. The com
pany had shipped II 900 in all, and as
soon as this matter had been brought to
the attention of Mr. Conner he had put a
stop to it at once saying to those concern
ed:
IF you want TO engage in that business
any more, you must let your designations
come in beforehand
1t was shown that these ties had been
shipped to New York city and the regu-
lar freight paid on them. None of them
had been sold to the Central by the Com
pany.
The ebert served as excellent ballast