Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-04
ANOTHER SHARP CUT
Seaboard Air Line Reduces Passenger
Bates to Different Points.
Vice PRESIDENT ST. JOHN TALKS
What He Thinks of the Dissolution
Of the Injunction.
A LETTER FROM MR.. MORGAN

Another decisive step was today taken In
the rate war between the Seaboard Air
Line and the Southern Railway companies
by the former filing notice with the inter-
state commerce commission of further
reduction Of passenger rates to competitive
points on the latter's system.
Commencing Monday next. the fare be-
tween Washington and Norfolk. Ports
mouth. Old Point Comfort and Richmond.
Va. via Baltimore, and with choice of
either the James river or Bay Line routes,
as may suit the passenger, will be s.. so;
to Wilmington, Del. good for five days.
$3Oo; Philadelphia and return. good for
ten days, $3.50: New York and return. So. so.
or, via Old Dominion Steamship Company.
good for ten days. s14. or limited second
class. 1915; Boston. one way by rail. s12.05.
or Sound. s1O.o5: Atlanta, -, as against
$3.50. the regular fare heretofore. while
there mas Deen corresponding reduction to
most of the other leading southern cities.
Inc Southern had not up to late hour
filed any additional schedules to those filed
with the interstate commerce commission
Wednesday. and the status of affairs was
as stated by authority that Commissioner
HaiEes of the Southern Freight Association
has been authorized by the latter to make
such rates between competitive points
ne may in his judgment deem best.
Vice President st. John Talks.
Vice President ST. John of the Seaboard
Air Line. who was in the city late yester-
day, authorized a Star reporter to quote
MIN as follows In regard to the decision of
Judge Simonton in dissolving the injunc-
ton proceedings instituted against it by
the Port Royal and Augusta road:
The injunction case brought by Receiver
Averill OF the Port Royal and Augusta rail-
road, undoubtedly at the solicitation Of its
probable future owner, the Southern rail-
way, who desired to find some means of
en5oining a solvent and prosperous rail-
road Ghe Seaboard Air Line) from making
reduced rates in its own protection, and
also of enjoining itself against making an
~ pei cent reduction. which 1t voted for
and demanded in the Southern States
Freight Association. together with the Port
Royal and Augusta railroad. which voted
by proxy, but which 1t was never intended
to put into effect, has come to an end, and
the victory Is with the Seaboard and the
people. notwithstanding the efforts Of the
Southerp's attorneys and those who argued
them from their standpoint in favor of a
permanent injunction against a solvent
railroads controlling its own property in
its own way and in the interest of its own
ers and the people whom it serves through
out the south.
NO one for a moment could have serious
ly believed that the decision would have
been otherwise than as rendered. We live
under republican form of government,
and not under monarcnial form, and
decision other than that rendered by Judge
SimontOn seems impossible.
In discussing the temporary injunction,
the judge himself states that he finds that
his limited jurisdiction stops him at the
very threshold from the temptation of en-
tering upon discussion of the Interesting
points Involved. &c.
The same conditions exist now as at the
time the temporary Injunction was first is
sued. The Southern continues it's effort to
DESTROY nd Of h.
Bay Line and the Seaboard Air Line by
maintaining a line of steamers upon the
Chesapeake. which it can never nope to
operate but at a heavy loss while at tie
same time causing very great loss to ex-
listing lines upon the bay, who have offered
to handle the business on the same equal
terms for which they handle it for all other
lines, and yet they will not assent
They try to throw The gauzy veil over
the eyes of the people by asserting that it
Is necessary for them to handle their bust
ness in steamers owned by themselves
even at great loss in revenue to their stock
and bondholders, undoubtedly arguing that
the losses on the bay amount to but little
wien distributed over the Southern rail-
way mileage In comparison with the injury
they will infiict upon the Bay Line and
Seaboard Air Line.
IF the people will only rest easy while
that process is going on. and when the
money of their bankers permits the con-
troll of the Norfolk and Western railroad,
the Merchants' and Miners and possibly
the Old Dominion Steamship companies.
with the Bay Line and the Sc oard Air
Line as a possibility. It might then be in
position to devote additional time and at
tention to state governments. and the peo-
pie would be within it's possible CONTROL"
What Mr.. Morgan Says.
For some reason, which to those who are
cCnversant with railroad affairs seems I'M
explainable, report has gained currency
that Mr.. J. Pierpont Morgan does not ap-
prove the present attitude Of the Southern
In the Seaboard matter. and letter Of In
quiry sent to New York brought today the
following letter from Mr.. Morgan:
II am at all times disposed to discounte-
rance the building of unnecessary COM
petitive lines Of railway. and think those
err who assume that there has been any
such building in the case of the Southern
railway.
THE old Richmond and Danville system
recognized many years ago the impOs-
sibility of conducting its coastwise and
export business satisfactorily through West
Point which is a most inconvenient and
unsuitable place for the terminus of a large
system of railways.
Then. as now. the natural terminus Of
the system seemed to be Norfolk, and the
Richmond and Danville company made a
large investment in the stock of the Nor
folk and Carolina railroad, or rather of the
predecessor company (of which I forget
the name), and 1t would undoubtedly have
completed arrangements to make Norfolk
its terminus had 1t not been checked by
financial difficulties.
"One of the things we had distinctly in
mind at the time Of the Richmond and
Danville reorganization was to make Nor
folk the terminus. If, in order to reach
Norfolk, 1t had been necessary for us to
parallel the Seaboard Air Line from Ra-
leigh to Portsmouth Gas has been charged
by the Seaboard people,, those in charge
of the Southern Railway Company would
indeed have hesitated. but the Southern
Railway Company reaches Norfolk without
having built foot OF railway.
TT uses the Norfolk and Carolina road
IN which. as already stated, it has for
years been a large stakeholder, and for the
short intervening distance from it's own
line uses the tracks of the Atlantic coast
line.
The Seabord Air Line.
mot only has 1t not in anyway paralleled
the Seaboard Air Line, but, under the ar
rangement by which 1t uses the Coast Line