The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-07-30
MIR. ST. JOHN TALKS.
THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SEABOARD
AIR LINE,
States the Reason, in His Opinion,
For the Establishment of an Oppo-
sition to the Old Bay Line-What it
May Probably Lead to--RivaIry
Means IrreparabIe Loss if Not Utter
Portsmouth. Va. Star, !

Portsmouth. Va. Star.
In view Of the fact that the war now
waginc between the old Bay Line and
the new Bay Line, which was recently
put in operation by the Southern Rail-
way. is regarded with an unusual de-
gree Of interest, Il rcprcs sentative OF
the Star this morning sought an inter-
view with Vice President St. John, of
the Seaboard Air Line, with 4 view Of
ascertaining the status Of the case
from the standpoint Of the latter road.
Mr.. st. John readily submitted to
an interview. and the scribe opened
on him as follows:
Mr.. st. John. the Star is aware
that your personal and business rela-
tons with the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company are intimate and harmonious,
YOU are doubtless in a position to know
the precise nature of the causes which
have aroused the anita 3Onism Of the
Bay Line towards the Southern Rail
Notwithstanding in the establishment
by the latter of line Of steamers to
compete for traffic between Portsmouth
and Baltimore. 4 statement from
you, therefore, in regard to the mat
ter would be considered of gceat i'm
portance and would be read with the
Iiveliest interest by our patrons and
the public.
Mr.. St. joint is true, as you con-
lecture. that am fully cognizant of
the reasons which have compelled the
Baltimore Steam Packet Company to
assume the strong defensive position it
now holds, to rcpel an unprovOked and
unjust attack upon its business and
property rights. Hostiitics began
| when the Southern railway, regardless
| of the obligations CT duty or courtesy,
| established a wholly unnecessary and
uncaIled for line OF steamers to paral-
| lei the Bay Line between Baltimore
and Norfolk.
Question-But hasn't tie Southern
| the right to run line of steamers OF
its own on the bay, if it chooses to do
| so:
MI. St. Uncertainty, any man
or corporation has the technical right
| to do 50, when the object is to serve
| the public interests, or even their own:
but i'll this case the Southern seems ac-
| tuated by no such motive. | say this
boldly and advisedly. The Southern
| proposes to destroy rather than bull
| up. Before it can even hope for sue,
cess 1t must cripple, anuhilate the pres.
tlyc and traffic that has. accrued to the
Bay Line during 50 years or more Of
faithful public service. The business
created and carried on by the Bay
Line is row only moderately profitable
! y serious diversion or absorption Of its
| traffic means fOr it nothing less than
lrreparab,e loss, if not utter rain. II
i, the manifest duty Of the Bay Line tc
| spare no effort to minimize or avert
the impending disaster. Nor can
| friendly connections afford to stand
| idly by mot knowing whose turn will
come neXD and permit the depreda-
ton on corporate rights and destruc-
ton Of property contemplated.
Ques tion-But has not the Southern
been refused such facilities of trans
| portation as it requires, and thus been
tabllsh an independent line of its own:
Mr.. st. John-The claim by the
Southern that it cannot handle its bus
mess through any other than its own
line IS prepostcrous. Equally hollow
is the preteXt that other established
lines cannot furnish all the facilities it
could possibly need for scores of years
to come. The correspondence of Pres
ident Hoffman with the Southern o11ic-
lals fully demonstrates the folly of
such assertions. In his letter of April
9 to Mr.. Spencer, president of the
Southern, he thus tcrsely sums up the
case: Il regret to know that you do
not intend to use the Merchants and
Miners Transportation Company as
,, and Norfolk instead of a line of your
own. which means that you have de-
termlned to make an attack on the
Baltimore Steam Packet COMPANY
and the Seaboard Air Line for the pur-
pose OF attack. Therefore you must
assume the responsibility for the de-
mora .iZatiOn and loss of revenue to all
Baltimore Steam Packet Company and
the Merchants and Miners Company
have done all III their power to pre-
serve the peace by Offering the services
OF their lines on terms ofperfect equal
| lty with all lines as your connection.
but 1t seems that 1t Is your desire to
disrupt the entire situation for pur-
\
cannot by any possibility pay you,
while it can only destroy the revenues
of others so long as it continues to
run
The purpose, the real animus of
the Southern, Is revealed in the SEN
tence last above quoted. 1t does not
even court competition on legitimate
lines. Its ann IS to reduce the Bay
Line to subordinate position as car
rier of traffic between the North and
the South, or drive it as contestent
from the field altogether and usurp its
place. 1t cannot expect or care to do
a profitable business in the struggle for
supremacy 1t invites, but hopes to in
tlct greater damage on others than it
will receive. The southern it argues,
has nothing to lose, but everything to
gain from such conflict, while the d.
rect converse Of that proposition is true
as regards the Bay Line.
Question-But in what way and to
what extent are the interests of the
Seaboard Air Line involved in the
struggle between the Southern and the
Bay Line?
Mr.. st. John-The Bay Line, al
though entirely independent of the
Seaboard Air Line, is and always has
been close ally and friendly conuec-
ton. More than that, the Seaboard