The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-08
IN THE RAILROAD WORLD.
Matters Of Interest in savannah and
Elsewhere.


The legality OF the Joint Traffic Asso-
citation agreement Is 10 De thoroughly
tested The case a. 10 be taken 20 the
court of appeals ~ once and pushed
. through 10 the supreme court o. the
United States. SO that final decision may
be reached. which viii be Of the greatest
importance 10 both the railroads AMI the
The decision recently rendered sustain
ms the validity o. the Joint Traffic Ass0-
r-dtl9u contract was uF Judge IS leeler
Of Vermont, the New York judges refus-
lug 90 hear the case because OF the fact
mat they owned railroad stocks ana
bonds.
The suit was brought by the interstate
commerce comm StOn. which means, or
course, the United states, the claim being
made that the traffic association agree
meut was violation or the clause OF the
Interstate commerce law prohibiting pool
ing by the railroads The United states
Attorney General. IN bringing the suit.
also made the claim that the contract
was iu violation Of the antitrust law.
The railroads claim that the agreement
Is for the good Of the general public and
shippers, as well as the railroads,
under its provisions reasonable and just
rates are maintained. and for that and
other reasons the association is and viii
be- great aid 10 the interstate commerce
COMMISSION m enforcing the provisions
of the Interstate commerce law.
Commissioner Morrison OF the inter
state commerce commission, Is quoted as
saying If rates are better maintained ID is
not because of the joint Traffic Associa-
tion 8greement but owing to the recent
Brown decision, and that the marked inn
prOvement in the maintenance of rates
has not alone been iu the territory under
the rule of the Joint Traffic Association,
but mas been in other territory as well.
The report of earnings for the month of
March shows that 1iS roads had an in
crease of 81, 26700O fn gross earnings. and
a loss Of about per cent. on net earnings
4 DF -
year. In February an increase Of about
per cent. in gross earnings was shown,
and nearly IS per cent in net. For the
trst quarter of the calendar year ls3
roads show an increase of Sll,626,uO0, or
6.23 per cent. IN gross earnings, and 81
4l5,OO or over per cent. in net. For the
quarter forty-four roads show increases
of $4,000 each.
The report of the railroad commission
of Illinois shows that during the year
1895 there were carried So. ass Alb passengers
over the 1850 miles of road traversing
the state, and that Of the number Of
passengers carried but twelve
t or only neiF one i ogt Of every y'i'f fve
million passengers transported The re-
port shows that one out of about every
half million passengers carried was in
jured.
The annual meeting Of the Southern
States Freight Association IS 10 be held
present officers VIII most likely be re-
elected.
The South Carolina state board of equal
ization has acted on the application of the
Chester and Lenoir and Cheraw and
Chester roads. The board granted a re-
ductiOn of $3.50 a mile on the Chester and
Lenoir and the Cheraw and Chester The
Chester and Lenoir was fixed at $3.50, and
the Cheraw and Chester at $l,750.
A few days ago the Cheraw and Ches-
ter narrow-gauge railroad, running from
Chester to Lancaster, was sold. Friday
the purchasers of the road applied to the
secretary OF state for charter for the
road under the act passed a the last ses-
sion of the legislature in accordance with
the new constitution. A commission was
issued to them. The cOrporators are Lee
roy Springs, William Ganson, r. c. Nc
Manus, L. c. Paysour and James NJ.
Heath of Lancaster, and w. H. Hardin
of Chester. The company Is to be known
hencefOrth as the Lancaster and Chester
Railroad Company. The corporatOrs set
forth in their declaration that their pur-
pose sis to operate a railroad between
the towns of Chester and Lancaster" The
capital stock is to be $4,000, divided into
1000 shares.