The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-30
CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL.
THOMAS AND RYAN SHOWN TO DE
THE OWNERS or THE ROAD.

President Conner Proves That They
Hold 40.801 shares OF the 10000
shnres-The Other shares Held by
the Directors I'm order 10 Qualify
Them for Their POsitIons-The
Commission 20 Prosecute Its In
quiry Further.
Atlanta. Ca. June 29.-It was shown 10
the state railroad commission to-day that
1921 OF the 5000 shares OF stock OF the
Central OF Georgia Railroad Company are
held by Messrs. Thomas and Ryan Of
New York. while President II. NJ. Conner
and each OF the eight directors hold but
one share each.
The showing was made by President
Conner to the commission upon the hearing
OF the case in which the alleged owner
ship of the Central stock and the Georgia
Southern and Florida stock by the South
ern railway is involved. Several months
ago the commission determined 20 investl-
gate the ownership and control Of the
Centrars stock and that OF the Georgia
Southern and Florida. with the view to
applying rule one to the trahic between
these lines, and the Southern. II il turned
out that the majority OF tho stock was
owned by the Southern. or the Southern
was exercising control over them by reason
Of financial relations. The applications Of
this rule would greatly reduce freights
handled over these lines as Il would mean
that they should all be operated as one
line instead Of three separate systems, and
on this account the progress Of the in
qulry of the commission has been watch
ed with great interest by shippers as well
as by the railroad world Several times tho
"A
OF the railroads and after to-days pro-
ceedings IL again goes over until some time
In the future, as the commission Is not
satisfied although the Central and Geor-
gla Southern claimed that they made tho
best showing they could under the order
OF the commission as they understood Il.
President Conner OF the Central and
General Counsel II. &. Cunningham were
present to represent that line. General
Counsel John !. Hall and Vice President
Shaw Of the Georgia Southern and Flor
ida represented that road, while ths
Southern was represented by General
Counsel Henderson OF Washington, ID. 9.
They presented the minutes OF the reor-
ganization meeting, as the order of the
the stock was owned by Messrs Thomas
aud Ryan, and the directors, as stated
above.
President Conner stated TO the commlu-
sion that the Southern Railway Company
lin not own a dollars worth Of the Gem
tral stock, and so far as he was con-
Cerned II never would.
The commission wanted 10 know who
owned the bonds OF the Central bur
President Conner replied that It was ina
possible to give this information, as the
bonds were not registered, and the COM
pauY could not tell who held them at this
time. being negotiable.
For the Georgia Southern and Florida.
Judge Hall admitted that the Southern
Railway Company owned 10000 OF the H.
0O shares of stock, But denied that the
Southern exercised or could exercise II
II wanted to, the control OF the line by
reason OF this holding, as the Arm Or
Edwards a. Parsons Of Birmingham hold
1900 shares. which was the balance Of
control.
The commission was not wholly satie-
fed with the result Of to-day's showing
but wants to hear what President Sam
uel Spencer of the Southern has TO say
about the manager OF that company and
It's affairs IN other particulars before a
decision Is reached. President Spencer ia
now In Europe, but the commission will
wait until he comes back to this country,
when he will be asked to come before the
commission. There Is other information
also that Is wanted which will be sought
pending the return Of President Spencer.