The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-26
A BATTLE ROYAL
Fight to the Finish Between
.Seaboard and Southern.
% LINES AGAINST ONE
Eighty Per Cent. Cut Only the
Beginning.
A Contest That if Prolonged Will Put
Some Southern Roads Into the Hands
of Receivers Col. Andrews Has
Nothing to Say.

of Receivers - Col. Andrews Has
Nothing to Say.
The Atlanta Journal says:
1.-THE twenty-five railway and steam
ship lines composing the Southern
States Freight Association have voted
unanimously to wipe out their prin-
cipal source of revenue and to operate
from August 1st indefinitely at an alb
solute loss-a loss that would eventu-
ally throw every line in the assocla-
ton into the hands of a receiver.
..These TWENTY-FIVE transportation
lines have voted to cut the through
rates on nine of the twelve classes INTO
which all freight is divided, so per cent.
On the remaining three classes CUT
of SO Is per cent will be III effect. ne
nine classes to which the 90 per ceA.
cut applies. includes all manner ~
goods shipped to Atlanta from boston
New York, Philadelphia and the East
The three classes to which the 90 per
cent cut does not apply, nclude such
freight as meat, grain and provisions
PRODUCTS that come entirely from the
Western States.
..This action of the Southern States
FREIGHT Association is in defense OF one
of IFS membership Southern railway,
and is the outcome of the fight be-
tween the Southern and the Seaboard
Air Line 1t is a war measure ana Is
nothing short of suicide to every Inc
that participates in it. 1t Involves
large number of intricate questions
and the very life of two great railway
systems and is pregnant with more
meaning than any movement that mas
attracted the attention of the indus
trial side of the South in the hictory Of
this section
Ia what it calls the two railway
armies" it put on one side the sea
board Airline, and on the other the
following roads: Alabama Great South
ern. Alabama Midland, Atlanta q west
Point. Baltimore. Chesapeake q hlcn-
mond Steamboat Coz brunswick ~
Western. Cape Fear & YadSin Valley,
Central of Georgia, Charleston d. Sa-
yannah, CLYDE Steamship Co., Column
bus Southern. East e West, Florida
Central e Peninsular, Georgia q Ma
bama. Georgia, Georgia Midland, Geor-
gia Southern & Florida, Louisville d
Nashville. Marietta d North Georgia,
Merchants & Miners Transportation
Co.. New York & Texas Steamship Co.,
Norfolk 81 Western. Ocean Steamship
Co. of Savannah, Old Dominion Steam
shin CO.. Port Royal d Augusta, Sa-
yannah. Florida 81 Western, Southern,
Western Railway of Alabama, Western
& Atlantic, Wilmington q Weldon.
THE TWO SIDES.
It gives this as the two sides OF the
question:
1.-THE Seaboard people say that the
action of the Southern States Freight
Association is bluff. Why" they ask.
..is the time for the cuts going into
effect fixed seven days ahead. when the
law allows them TO begin within three
davso Why have they madea cut
which would wreck every line in their
association? Tt is absolutely blutf.
They believe they can scare the Sea-
board into compromise. That what
they are playing for. But the Sea-
board will not have it. 1T has gone IN
to this fight with the determination
that it has a Just cause and it will fight
it out If it has to go into the hands of a
receiver itself If it goes it will carry
every one of the association lines to
death with il.
'.The Southern railroad people say
that ST. John must be crushed out. lie
came into the Eastern railroad world,
they say, after having failed IN the
West He is a railroad anarchists
Tillman or an Altgeld of the railroad
world, if you please. He is injecting
a ruinous, suicidal policy into the con-
duct of the Eastern system. He is a
fanatic. The Southern States Associa-
ton has taken this step in self defense
and is sure to win. The Southern is
only one of the twenty-five lines COM
posing the association, but what affects
one of them affects all. They will wipe
out their chief source of revenue by
this cut. but it is~ war measure and
must be undertaken.
INCREASE OF BUSINESS.
The Norfolk Nirginian of yesterday
says: -
per cent reduction from New York TO
Atlanta on freight was a by cut. First
class freight that usually cost $1.14 on
the hundred from New York to At
lanfa has been reduced to 25 cents a
hundred. and others in like proportion
There has been but little reduction
made in the passenger rates yet, but
the company is ready to meet any cut
that may be made along the entire
route. The local rates have not been
disturbed vet but there is no telling
when a cut will be made. The Airline
has gone in the fight to stay. Their
travel has increased to such an extent
that three additional coaches will be
put on Thursday night TO accommo-
date the travel. Yesterday morning
passengers were standing up when the
morning train came in and nine cars
had to be added to the outgoing train.
Passenger Agent L. j Anderson says
the travel reminds him of the exposi-
ton times and the road is not suf-
fering He will leave on Friday to
meet a train that left San Francisco
on the 25th instant with the Charles
ton crew. en- route for this yard
Col. A. b Andrews, Acting President
Of the Southern, was asked yesterday