The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-14
FIGHT OF THE RAILROADS.
The Southern Railway Association in
Session.


Settle the Difficulties Incident to
the Withdrawal of the Louisville
and Nashville From the Associa-
tion-Nearly Every Line in the AS
sociation Represented.
New York, March 13.-An adjourned
meeting of the Southern Railway and
Steamship Association was held to-day
at the Fifth Avenue hotel. The object OF
the meeting is to endeavor TO effect set
tlement of the difficulties caused by the
notification by the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad Company, that it
would withdraw from the associa-
tion. On Feb q, in consequence
of this notification, the executive board Of
the association met in Louisville, when
President NJ. II. Smith, of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad explained the
reasons for the proposed withdrawal.
They charged the Cincinnati Southern
and Louisville Southern railroads, which
are under the same management, with
cutting freights and making rebates and
concessions in violation of agreements
made by the association of which they
are members
THE ROADS REPRESENTED.
All OF the thirty-four railroad compa-
nies and steamship companys lines were
represented to-day with the exception Of
the Baltimore Steam Packet Company,
the Cape Fear and Vadkin Valley Rail-
way Company, the Georgia Southern and
Florida Railroad Company. and the
South Carolina Railroad Company It
was stated that should the Louisville and
Nashville Company persist in their with
drawal it would lead to the complete dis
ruption of the association, aud the
tone of the various speakers was
condemnatory of the action of the Gin
cinnati and Louisville Southern Compa-
nies in violating the agreements entered
into hy them.
Mai. d. w Thomas, president of the
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis
Railroad Company and Western and At
lantic Company, was chairman of the
meeting.
When the meeting came to order a num-
Der of delegates spoke strongly in favor
of arbitration on the disputed points, and
pointed out the necessity of preserving
the association, which they uheid was ne
cessary for the interest of the lines hold
ing membership in it.
A 5TRCNGER UNION NEEDED.
Col. James G. Clarke president of the
Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company spoke
at considerable length and said there was
need OF a stronger ard a more centralized
union As long as it could be done In
| secret competing roads would, he said,
cut the rates and he considered it
essentially necessary TO have some
! head which would search these decep-
tions out and deal with the offenders.
! He advised the reduction of the number
of members of the executive committee
on the ground that the present full COM
mittee never met until the evil done by
/ tho tip1afpf.e L Of THAR fa had
been accomplished. For first and
second ofense he would infict severe
punishment, and If an official
committed third offense by granting
Illegal concessions he would have him
discharged unless an application was
signed by two-thirds of the companies In
terested to allow him to retain his posi-
tion. He concluded by stating that un-
less the association was strengthened by
some reforms such as he suggested, the
Mobile and Ohio railroad would cease TO
be a member.
Mai Henry Fink, formerly commits
sioner, receiver of the East Tennessee,
Virginia and Georgia railroad, and Mem
phis and Charleston Railroad Company,
! was in favor of the maintenance of the
association whether the Louisville and
Nashville road withdrew or not. He con-
sidered that it would be difficult, if not
impossible to form new association
of eastern lines with the Louisville
| and Nashville reaching the center OF
! their territory at Atlanta, and thought
that the present association was strong
enough TO protect itself against outsiders.
| II outside roads persisted in cutting rates,
the result would be so injurious to them
that they would tire of it, as they had
| done in former contests.
! MIR. SMITHS STATEMENT.
NJ A. Smith, president of the Louis
! vile ana Nashville, then made long ex-
/ planation as TO the violation of the agree
ments by the offending lines, and en-
| phatically declares that unless they
! abandon the course of action of which
| he complains his company must decline
to continue to belong to the association.
| Commissioner Stahlman followed and
/ stated that those violations had been GO
| ing on for eight months. The Cincinnati
| Southern and LOUISVILLE Southern lines
| had secretly reduced the rates on pro-
visions, coal, hay and all heavy goods.
! At O'Clock a recess was taken until
| 3, when the session was reopeneds
After an animated discussion it was de-
/ cided to appoint an arbitration committee
/ toaipquire into all the matters complained
of and report as TO the feasibility of
compromise to the general executive
! board.
The members Of the committee were
then selected as follows: II. S. Haines,
! of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad
| Company; Samuel Spencer, of Drexel,
| Morgan 4 Co II. Walters, president Of
! the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
/ Company; II. M. Conner, receiver of the
/ Central Railroad of Georgia and
/ Ocean Steamship Company, and j.
/ S. Winder, vice president of the
| Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad Com
pany. The executive board then adjourned,
and the committee went into session to
prepare their report which will be SUBJ
mitted at to-morrow's meeting.