The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-12-16

The records in the Office show that
Commissioner Evans statement is al
together untrue
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT N. & A.
Miles operated in 1895, 143.
Miles operated in 1886, 167 .42.
Expenses
Year. Total income Taxes.
1895, S 84,463 Al S110, ,567.78
1896, 209, ,206.47 171,431, ,26
Expenses.
Income. Deficit. est.
1895, s26, ,1O4.37 s4S, 200
1896, 37,775.21 62,175
Subtract the deficit of 1895 from
the income of 1896 and we have ST.
670.84 to pay tvs years. interest
amounting to s11o.375 90. 10 answer
to Con missioner Evans. l do declare
that man would have to be philap-
tbropiss indeed" to invest millions of
dollars ln the railroads Of this State for
an interest Of 81. .670.84, and yetths is
one of the best built aud equipped rail-
roads 10 the State
Personally appeared before me, Wm.
Barnwell, notary public, State of South
Carolina, Railroad Commissioner E.
R. Thomas, who makes oath that the
railroad comm issiorers' show that it has
always been tie custom OF this Office to
subtract from total income of the rail-
roads the total expenses and taxes to
6nd oct Income That Com missioner
Egans' statement 10 regard to income
of Manchester and Augusta railroad in
his reply to my speech, Published in
State papers Dec 5th. is wholly nn-
true, and that the statement made by
myself is true copy taken from pages
81 and 81 Iucome Accounts. 10 the an
nual report of the Manchester and
Augusta railway for 1896. and that the
publication Of Secretary Duucan in the
State papers of Dec 4th. in regard tc
the income of all railroads in the State,
is also utterly untrue
"H. R. Thomas.
RAILROAD Commissioner.
"Wm. Barnwell. O.S
"Notary Public, S. CO.
IF the error committed by COM
missioner Evans was unintention-
al, and also the error committed
by our secretary with the rec
ords plainly before them, it is proof of
the grossest carelessness and stupidity.
The ignorance of the important records
of the Manchester and Augusta railroad
which the majority Of the board has
shown 10 their published statement
proves their utter incapacity to make
."ust and reasonable" rates.
Our secretary published in State
papers Dec 4th an official statement of
the incomes of the railroads. He says:
'.These reports are sworn TO by the gen.
eral auditor and presidents of the rail
roads, and are facts, and can be verified
in this Office, I" etc His report shows
that none Of the railroads have deficit,
except the Carolina. Knoxville and
Western railroad. See how earnestly
be tries to impress the public with the
correctness of his statement and yet
the figures are all wrong, misleading
and false.
The people of the State have boDored
me with al Office Of honor and trust
aud bave inst ructed me in the law to
make Just and reasonable rates for all
com mmodities and communities. | will
| join my colleagues 10 reducing rates to
the lowest uotcb of justice and equity
to all, but l refuse to betray my trust,
to be made party to making rates to
enable Secretary Duocan to sell ferti-
lizer at IS cents ton above his compet-
i.ors. Irefose to betray my trust to
be made party to making Of rates to
serve the political ambition Of Com
missouers Evans and Wiiborn I re-
fuse to trample the State laws uuder
! foot aud prostitute the Office hold from
the high plsue of justice and equity to
all.
After reading Commissioner Evans
reply to my speech on the fertilizer rate,
beg to add to my offer of a $25 sui;
Of clothes, Que months salary to either
ooc Of my colleagues who will prove to
to au acceptable committee that the rate
they made on fertilizer is 2 Just and
reasonable rate as the law allows
after fair bearing. | challenge
agaic either one to accept my PROPOSE
ton.
In answer to the CON misssoner's
long. rambling reply to my speech
showing the injustice Of the fertilizer
rate made from illegal motives, | have
proven the chairman and secrefary's ut