The Caucasian., 1897-09-09

"oiOIe ME. WllSOD or
MS mother ever thought of il and
intended for any person could get
wno would keep a first class table.
Inc management Of the properly
was left entirely to me aud nv recoi.
lection is that never mentioned the
matter to Col. Andrews until the
trade was consummated through
Mr.. Otho Wilson for his mother.
The land upon which the Round
Knob property was located, belon ged
to John Malone, Col. Crockford and
myself This party owed a debt of
about S., 900 TO X. II. Brown, of Nc
Dowell county. was the only one
OF the party now living and was
alone response ole for the debt. For
the hotel itself | paid sc, 900. Col.
Andrews, s., 900, Col. Andrews H.
terest being about one fourth of the
ho:el with about 10 acres Of land ad-
joining. Before the receipt of your
letter | had no idea that any man in
North Carolina seriously considered
that my owning a piece of property
Jointly with Col. Andrews, and
held by us jointly since 1881, and
now rented by widow, which
being in addition to a summer resort
was dinner house for the passen-
ger trains of the Southern Railroad,
would ever in any way be SO con
strued as to make me in any form
under obligations to the Southern
Railroad. Finding however by your
letter that there were parties who
believed or pretended to believe that
this was indirectly a violation of
the Act, / promptly under advice of
friends to avoid "even the appear
ance of evil" decided my undivided
interest in the property to r. NJ.
Brown, for his claim about So, 900,
about the value at the present de-
probation Of property. This was
done agreeable to section l. of the
Act to avoid any criticism, by even
the captiOus, as to my conduct
rs Railroad Commissioner, and
II have no interest whatever
direct or indirect in the prop
erty known as Round Knob. Feeling
no uneasiness that you as a Judge
should be 50 biased, as to decide
that with the showing made, you
could with any preten sion ofjustice
remove me from the Office now held
by the unanimous support of the
Legislature of North Carolina; fo,
this unprecedented compliment
never before had an opportunity t.
return thanks.
| AS to the charges about my sor
will say that he is no minor a.
charged, but is q years old and i.
now one of the oldest employees or
the Division upon which he is stu
ated. About four years ago tn,
agent at Morganton resigned. Ny
son was his chief clerk and in tn,
very line of promotion. Y. E. Nc
Bee. General Superintendent of tn,
S. A. L., was at that time Superin
tendent Of that Division; he had pl g
viously promised my son as was tolt
that he would promote him at thu
first opportunity. Mr.. McBee KEEP
his promise. l have no recollection
of it, but it is more than proba bl,
that l spoke to Capt. McBee in hi
behalf. 1t would have been a mos
unnatural father who would hay,
done otherwise. l believe this GOV
ers the entire bill of charges.
But as there are other matters o.
rumor not in your letter, but calcu
lated to pre- udice your mind, l con
slider it but simple justice to state
the facts as to each one. 1t i
| Il h4
system was endeavoring to give tn
people cheap rates that lnterfered
The following is copy of orders il
the case-see report Of the Commis
sioners to the Governor, page 2l3
"It appears from press reports tina
reduced rates have been again or
dered to be put III effect from Ger
tain points within-clearly causing
a discrimination in violation of tn
long and short haul clause of tn
Act creating the Commission. Just
ice to the local business of the Stat,
requires of US to take prompt action
1t is ordered by this Commission
that all roads doing business withil
the State of North Carolina shall re
duce their local tariffs of passenge
, and freight in the same proportion
as has been done by them on thel
through business"
1t was my opinion then that ou
, own folks should at least have a
, good treatment as outsiders. l dre'
, the order and would do so again unde
similar circumstances. 1t is ais
charged on the streets that the Ses
: board system was unfairly dealt wit
by me in the matter of their propose
8 change Of line at CASTOR. The fac
: are, that the order as given wa
8 drawn by Capt. McBee, General So
4 perintendent of the Seaboard Al
: Line and in his own writing now o
y file in this Office. BY his reque'
5 the Board adopted it as the
" order, believing it to be a fair sol
tion of the matter. At least Il
t Seaboard should be estopped fro
: objecting. The charges as mac
t against me are so frivilous, tn
!, they would have passed them u
i noticed, had they not been consl
cred as of serious Importance by OF
d who holds the exalted position tn
o you do. 1t is also charged, that N
q In fl uence during the session of Il
d Legislature was exerted to preve
n q reduction Of rates. The last a
Il nual report, submitted by the Coz
J. mission, with no difference of vie1
q by the Commissioners, gave t
l. rates of freight and passengers CO..
sidered by us as "just and reason
r. ble.' In support of our views CO.
1t parison of rates of all the States
D. the Union, was made and pu6lishe
,e We were sworn officers and ma
v this report with due regard to t
u solemity of our oaths. During t
ut session of the Legislature the me
IN bers of the Commission we're invlt
Id to appear before the joint commit
at on Railroads and give their views
n to the business Of the rates now