The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-30
TELEPHONE APPEAL FILED
COTTON FREIGHT RATES AGAIN
UNDER CONSIDERATION.
CASTOR DEPOT DISPUTE REVIVED
The Commission Refuses to Act and Suggests
Friendly Compromise Between the
Seaboard and the Citizens
of Castor.

The Railroad Commission yesterday
had a busy day.
The telegraph rate case, the cotton
freight rate question, the telephone rate
case and the dispute relative to the re-
moval of the depot at CASTOR, all came
before the Board for consideration.
What disposition was made Of the
telegraph rate case is told elsewhere in
this paper.
Decision ON the petition for a restora-
ton of the old freight rates ON cotton
over the Carolina Central Railroad has
been reserved. Maj. John d. Shaw, of
Rockingham, appeared for the Carolina
Central.
| Exceptions in the appeal of the Bell
Telephone Company were filed and the
hearing set for next Friday, November
9th. Mr.. Clarence Young, of Richmond,
and Mr.. Robert G. Strong, of Raleigh,
represented the telephone company.
No action was taken ON the petition of
the Seaboard Air Line for permission to
change the location of the depot at
CASTOR so as to straighten the line. 1t
was suggested by the Board that fur
Their attempts be made to effect a COM
promise. Judge MacRae represented the
Seaboard.
/ In It's petition for q restoration for the
cotton freight rates formerly in force
on the Carolina Central Railroad, the
Seaboard Air Line, in it's petition pre-
scented to Maj. Shaw set forth, that since
of ~
uniform rate ON shipments of cotton
by the Seaboard and other systems of
railroads in North Carolina, the Caro-
lima Central has complied with the same;
and in this short time, has been con-
WINGED that such uniform system will
work great damage; that the various
matters and circumstances which should
be considered in fixing rates on ship,
ments of cotton are not the same for
each road.
"The cotton tonnage, the freight
earnings, the cost of operating, the pro-
portion the amount of cotton shipped
bears to the whole amount of freight
carried, differ widely for the different
roads. That the enforcement of this
rate will prevent the Seaboard Air Line
from making a reasonable profit on its
capital actually invested, and especially
will such rate on cotton on the Carolina
Central Railroad be unequal, unjust and
ruinous. That the rate on cotton in
Circular No. 20 is the same substantial
ly which was in effect on the North
Carolina Railroad before the adoption
of Circular No. 20. That the freight
| earnings Of the said North Carolina
Railroad for 1896 per mile were two
and half times as much as the freight
earnings of the Carolina Central for the
same year per mile.
| THAT the cotton shipments Of the
Carolina Central are 500 per cent. of
! all the freight handled on said road.
Circular No. 20 reduces the rate on cot
ton from every point on its line. This
is not the case with any other road in
North Carolina except on roads where
the percentage of cotton handled to the
whole amount Of freight is very small.
THAT the percentage of operating ex-
penses to earnings on this road is small
! err than on the average road in North
Carolina.
"That the net earnings of this road
for the year ending 31st March, 1897,
after the payment Of taxes for 1896,
were $144, 1888.
"That the annual interest ON the first
mortgage bonds on this road, which has
! to be paid promptly to preserve its cor
porate existence is 100000.
"That the enforcement of the rate on
cotton in Circular No. 20 will diminish
the net earnings Of this road about
$4,000"
1t is understood that at least one Of
the Commissioners favor granting the
natition