The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-12-17

Georgia C6nGral was 6Cla VOiQ IN
the Federal Courts.
TRYING TO GOBBLE UP THE c. F. & Y. V.
The legislature ought TO take early
action in this matter before it Is too
late. The Southern Railway has pur,
chased every one of the roads formerly
owned by the r & D r r Co., and
is now stretching out it's octopus hands
to gather in the Cape Fear and Yadkin
Valley Railroad-about the only dis
tinct North Carolina railroad remain
ing cut of their grasp-and, as usual,
in their greed they are trying at the
same time to destroy all the branches
feeding this road.
Its plan is to force a sale of the main
line and purchase it, and then to har-
rass and embarrass the short feeder
branches by determinations and de
lays in transportation until the owners
will be compelled to sell out to them
for whatever price that wicked monop-
oily may offer to it's victim.
1t seems that the Governor of the
State ought, if necessary, call the leg
islature together that it may enact a
law to prevent the consumation of this
crime, or the Baltimore syndicate ought
to postpone a sale until the next legis-
lature meets in order that it may take
action. 1t seems that the judges of the
Federal Courts would grant this delay
IN order to rescue the citizens of North
Carolina, who have invested their whole
capital in these branches, and protect
them from the rapacity of this merci-
less corporation.
BLESSINGS OF THE RAILROAD COMMIs-
SION.
AS an encouragement othe people to
go forward in this reform legislation
in regard to railroads, let them con
template the vast benefit and advan,
tages which have accrued to them
through the Railroad Commission,
which was peculiarly the work of the
farmers of North Carolina. The rail
roads had been able to throttle this
useful piece of legislation from year to
year until the Farmers Alliance OBJ
tanned control of the Legislature and
forced the Commission upon them.
I had the opportunity to know and
do know that the accidents to life and
limb on the railroads have been re-
duced fully one-half, if not more-one-
half is on the safe side. This result
was obtained through the Com mission,
which compelled the railroads to keep
their tracks in repair and to take up
the dangerous, refuse, old iron, which
the Richmond & DanviIle r ailroad
Company had placed on the Western
North Carolina Railroad. The Rich
mond & Danville Railroad Company
b I'd made this road the dumping
ground for all the old wor out rails in
their system. 1t is TO- a fine, safe
road. The old trestles-called spider
legged trestles'-have been taken out
and good bridges and viaducts sub
stituted. This road had become the
night mare of all travellers and the
ridicule of all strangers, until the Rail
road Commission compelled the Rich
mond & Danville r abroad Company
and the Southern to put it in good re-
pair. Look, too, at the nice, comfort
able depots they have been forced to
erect and the other conveniences and
improvements. AS you go to Raleigh,
notice the elegant little depot at Univer-
sity Station, which succeeds the old,
worn-out, filthy box car, which the
Richmond & Danville Railroad Com
pany forced ladies and gentlemen to
go into for shelter, when it was hardly
fit for swine to inhabit. The Univer
sity road, too, was as bad as the Yves
tern, with it's old, WORKOUT iron, but
it has been put in order. Look at the
improvements at Statesville and Win
ston. Watch, too, how promptly these
railroads obey the law which they were
accustomed to deride They had not
made an annual return of their condi-
tion and assets for years, as required by
law, until the Railroad Commission
smoked them out"
Now the citizen has a speedy and
cheap court where he can get justice
and where his complaints cannot be
transferred to the Federal Courts.
The act creating the Railroad Com
mission is an honor to the Farmers
Alliance of which they may proudly
boast, and they should continue to
keep their organization compact and
vigorous, so as to make their further
demands for railroad reform effective.