The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-29
The Southern and the Seaboard
Are Still at Odds.
TALKING AGAINST TIME
Neither Pleased With Judge
Simonton's Injunction.
THEY ARE IN A FIGHTING HUMCR
Can the Courts Control the Steamship
Lines on the Bay, and VIII the
Injunction Be Made
Permanent?

Permanent?
Baltimore, Md, July 2S.-President
Hoffman, of the Seaboard AIRLINE
expressed great surprise this morning
at the action of United States Judge
Simonton, of South Carolina, in issu-
ing an injunction upon the warning
Southern Railway Companies to pre-
vent further cutting of rates. Presl-
dent Hoffman said that he has as yet
had no definite information concerning
the exact nature of the proceedings IN
Question and until he did it would not
be possible for him to enter fully upon
a discussion of the matter.
II think any one can see through
this" he added, las soon as Mr.. st.
Johns interview of Saturday reached
the Southern States Freight Assocla-
tion they tried to find a way out OF
putting in their eighty per cent cut,
and had themselves enjoined so as TO
retire gracefully AS we had already
made a public statement that we would
not nut in such rates, it was hardly
worth while to enjoin, except as
blind. to try and deceive the public
in believing that it was not their act"
MR.. ST. JOHN TALKS.
Norfolk. Va, July 28.-Mr. Z. ST..
John. vice-president and general man
| aoer of the Seaboard Airline, was
called upon at Portsmouth this even
| ing bv the representatives of the Asso-
| ciated Press and asked TO state his
position in view of the recent bill Tiled
before Judge Simonton, and especially
| with regard to the injunction and
order passed requiring his road TO re-
store the old rates, and also what he
proposed to do in view of this action.
Mr.. ST. John said: Il only know OF
| the action and order from short tele-
graphic reports, published in the morn
| ing papers My company has not been
officially notified of such suit or of
any injunction. / propose to obey all
lawful orders of the courts as long as
they stand in force, but / cannot say
what the course of my company will
be until / am served with copies of the
papers and have advised with our
counsel. If the newspapers have fully
and correctly reported what has been
done by the courts, / must confess
| that it will seriously damage us in
place, the interstate commerce COM
mission require that ten days notice
be given of any raise in rates, and the
order which is said to have been passed
requires us to instantly raise the rates
back to what they were on the 18th
of July. / shall have to take the adj
vice of my counsel as to the proper
course to pursue under these condi-
tions. Furthermore, if this order is
correctly reported, it viii prevent the
Seaboard Airline from carrying out
existing contracts in accommodating
the public with any sort Of excursions,
or doing any of the many things
which are within the discretion of
every railroad management in the way
of conducting it's business.
''If such action has been taken i'm the
manner published, it is easy to see
that the whole of it has been inspired
by the Southern Railway. If this
great monopoly decides TO throttle COM
petition by appeals to the court, it
will certainly be mistaken. ] do not
konW what charges or statements are
in the bill presented to the court, but
| do know that the time has not yet ar
rived in this country when a rival
railroad can successfully appeal to the
SONA 10 II pun d ICtAJ litS OI JIlG 11cIIIS
of the case, and perpetuate it's mono
poly and prevent the public from the
benefits of competitions When our
side of the case is heard, and the court
is fully advised, there can be but one
end to such an effort and that is, that
our position will be sustained. We
will meet any suit that has been
brought and when it is over with. and
the orders of the court are set aside,
we will proceed with the contest TO
the end. The issue cannot be met in
this way, but will have to be met
sooner or later ON the lines upon which
it is now proceeding"
THE SOUTHERN'S SAY.
Washington, July 28.-Neither Vice
President Baldwin, nor General Traf-
fic Manager Culp, of the Southern
Railway are in Washington. But it
was learned at the Southern offices in
this city that there was not the least
doubt that the Southern Railway
would oppose the Injunction of the
United States Circuit court, issued at
Spartanburg, S. c., yesterday. The
jurisdiction of Judge Simonton, who
issued the injunction, embraces the
States of West Virginia, North Caro-
lima, and South Carolina, and his or
ders controls every line connected with
the present Southern rate war. Some
question may arise as to how far the
courts can control the steamship COM
panies on Chesapeake Bay, but it is
said that freight shipped over rail
lines, though part of the distance by
water, come under interstate COM
merce laws and are subject to regula-
tions by the courts.
1t is understood that Judge Simon
ton considers the Port Royal and Au-
gusta Railroad, which yesterday ap-