The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-16

Governor NubSt ttc"oc VII A"o
LAYING Track on the Durham and Char
lotte Railroad-Remarkable Growth OF
Cotton Mills In This state-Convicted OF
uouse offered Land I'm
Rowan County for "a Social Democratic
Colony.
Messenger Bureau, Park Hotel.
Raleigh, N. c., July II
The railway commission net today
In accordance with a resolution p
some days ago, hat it would receive
in writing from the railways state
ments why the rate of assessment on
railways should not be increased and
rates lowered. Governor Russell, Judge
Clark and Editor Daniels were invited
to present their views in favor of both
measures. Governor Russell was not
present, neither was Judge Clark. They
held that they should also reply in
writing. The governor replied before
the commission met; in other words, he
made his statement in a newspaper
yesterday. He declares that the net
earnings should be the test Of he alu-
alton of the roads. This was Ohio
WILSON 3 view anu IL now SccIlS lIldI
he was inspired by the governor. The
latter things 2 cents per mile should
he the first-class fare on roads which
pay 81, 900 a mile in net earnings. He
thinks the valuation Of the North Car
alma railway should be double what 1t
now Is, and he says freight rates are
also too high.
w. w. Findley, second vice president,
+. S. Cannon, third vice president,
~- 4" C,,Ir t-a fR n ~ thn
Southern; Warren G.. Elliott, president
Of the Wilmington n Weldon, are
also here, as well as w. G. Peter, A.
+. Page and Henry Page.
A statement by the railway commits
sion shows that while the average rate
of passenger fare per mile in 1870 was
1886 cents, it is now only EOS cents.
Fifteen miles of the Durham N
Charlotte railway have been laid and the
work Of putting dOwn ten miles more
of rail is about to begin. This work
is all on the northwestern end of the
road This road appears to puzzle
some of the other railway men. "A ru-
NOR has got abroad that the Southern
is interested.
Judge Purnell will tomorrow hold an
adjourned term of the federal court
here.
The growth Of cotton and wooden
mills in this state is remarkable-33 in
1870, 40 in 1880, and now 21O, with 1,06S,-
1876 spindles and 22, $50 looms.
j. L.. Graham, clerk to the state SUI
perintendent of public instruction, is
convicted of burning his house at New
ton, in order to get insurance on the
contents. When the news Of his con-
victiOn reached the superintendent he
at once asked for Graham's resignation
as clerk, as of course he could not keep
him with such a record.
The governor will be asked by the
state superintendent of public instruc-
tion to request the supreme court to at
once pass upOn the OnstitutiOnality
of the new school law, which is to be
voted on in August. This will settle
the question. The difference of view at
present as to the validity of the act is
causing a great deal of contention.
The state grants a charter to the
Waxhaw Normal and Collegiate fnsti-
tute of Union county,.
Among tOday'S arrivals are Leigh X.
Watts and V. E. McBee; w. A. Guth-
RE, of Durham; J. c.. Buxton, Uf Win
ston; Thee. F. Davidson, of Asheville;
Herbert McClammy, Of Wilmington;
John D. Shaw, of Rockingham; j. B.
Tree, of Richmond, superintendent of
h Western Union Telegraph Com
pany.
Augustus w. Moore, late of Wash
tngton, d. c., has returned to this
state and located at Greenville. Re-
publicans say he will be a candidate
for congress in the First district.
Eugene V. Debs is offered free of
charge a large tract of land in Rowan
county for his social democratic col
ony."
This morning thirty people left here
for Toronto, Canada.
A prominent railroad man says the
prop way to get at the taxation of
the railways is to grade them into four
classes; those earning 8, 6 and 2 per
cent. and those earning nothing.
Ten convicts were sent to- Castle
Haynes today irOm the ~penitentiary.
Thirty car Dad Of people will a
tomorrow on the conductors excur-
sfon'' to Norfolk, the rate being only
$1.OO for the round trip.