The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-15
LOWER FREIGHT RATE:
Largely Attended Meeting IN
Creep sboro.
ERE,cnTAssoclAT,oN ORGANIZE
All Interests Represented.-C Cone
Elected President; A. w. Haywood,
Secretary and Treasurer. List
of Those Present.
Greensboro Record.)


Greensboro Record.)
The large shippers Of North Carohha
or at least of the central portion OF the
State. if not all over the State, lntenu
to see what is the trouble Wltn IrelshI
rates for there is discrimination some
where, and what is more, there Is no rea-
son for it.
With this end in view quite large
number Of these gentlemen met mere yes
terday to take action in the matter. lne
meeting was composed OF all classes OIL
shippers-mill men, tobaccomsts, lumper
dealers, grocery men, wholesalers, etc.
Mr.. G. Cone. of Proximity Manufacture
ing Company, of this place, explained tne
object, as it was deemed best to 90 TINS
before organizing the meeting, so that all
could better understand what was con-
templated.
He stated that he had time and time
again made efforts to secure better
freigt rates, but had as often failed. his
investigator extended more particularly
TO coal and cotton, but he had discovered
that most everything was affected. HIS
idea of the meeting was that it should
organize permanently and employ some
EXPERT traffic man to take matters IN
charge and see what could be done.
Mr.. c.. III. Iredell, of the Odell Hard
ware Company, said that he had found
that this discrimination affected us here
in North Carolina going and coming. lie
advised organization, not for the purpose
of fighting, for he did not think this
would be necessary, but we were discrlm-
mated against and some action was
necessary.
Mr.. A. w. Haywood, Of Haw River,
then offered the following resolution:
Resolved /. That this meeting does
hereby organize itself into an association
to be known as the North Carolina
Freigt Association; having for its purpose
the securing of more equitable freight
rates TO the people of North Carolina, land
for other purposes.
Second. That the affairs of said as
sociation shall be managed and gov
erned by a president, a secretary, VINO
may also be treasurer, and by an execu-
tive committee, consisting Of seven mem
bers. to be appointed by the president.
The said executive committee, together
with the president, shall have authority
to adopt such rules and regulations for
the management and government of said
association as they may see fit.
Mr.. G.. Cone moved that J. w. Fries,
of Salem, be made chairman of the meet
ing. but Mr.. Fries said he would rather
not accept the position, for he did not
yet know what the meeting would re-
solve to do and it might be that he could
not see his way clear to join, though he
thought he could.
Mr. J. A. Odell then moved that Mr..
C. Cone be made chairman, which was
done. Mr.. A. w. Haywood, of Haw
River, was then made secretary and the
meeting got down to business.
Mr.. Odell moved the adoption of the
resolutions and asked for a full discus
sion of the matter, whereupon there was
considerable talk in which a number OF
startling figures were shown regarding
freight rates from different points, some
of which are pointed out further In this
article. Mr.. Fries took the ground that
these determinations were not always
what they seemed to be-that geograph-
ical conditions had much to do with them,
causing us to attach blame where 1t does
not belong. He agreed with what had
been said, but had never yet gone TO a
railroad company with a grievance but
what he was treated right.
Mr.. Cone, chairman of the meeting,
here asked Mr.. Odell to take the chair,
as he wished to place some figures be-
fore the body; figures which were au-
thentic and would not be denied even
by the railroads. He cited number of
instances, one of which will suffice, for
most Of them were on the same line,
showing discrimination. For instance,
on cotton goods the rate from Danyille
to New York is % cents, while from
Greensboro it is Al.
Vaughan & Coo Winston, cited few
instances even more startling. From
Chicago. st. Louis, ETC., to Lynchburg,
it is 81 cents, while it is 81 to Winston.
On shoes. it was shown, from the
freight bills of Simpson, Shields " Co.,
Greensboro, that the rate from Boston
to Lynchburg is Do cents; from Boston
to Greensboro it is 80. These are only
a few Of the many instances quoted, but
will suffice to show how this State is dis
eliminated against.
We should have stated that just after
the resolution Of Mr.. Haywood had been
offered Mr.. Wilson, of Charlotte, arose
and asked to know how far one was
bound by the action by remaining in the
meeting, adding that he had not consult
ed any Of the directors Of his company
and would not care to enter into anything
without first being authorized. lie
thought it would be better to not ask
any one to join right now, but let all go
home, consult their companies and then,
e they saw proper, to join.
This brought Mr.. NJ. Fl. Cone to his
sect, for he evidently saw that this was
scheme to effect an adjournment, with
virtually nothing accomplished. Now was
the time to do something if anything was
to be done. If any gentleman was mere
who had no power to go into this assocla-
ton, he could certainly join as an andi'
vidual, and it his directors refused e
back him up he could pay it himself ane
would do so if he wanted to help hlmsel1
However, in a spirit Of fairness he Offered
a resolution that two weeks might be CIV
en- to any who cared to withdraw aite
having joined here to-day, but sometime
after that it was withdrawn at the sug
gestion Of Mr.. J. Van Lndley, who char
acterized it as ''babyish." Mr.. Con
said he agreed with him and withdreV
thu rocnlut;on Tn the meantime MI