The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-06
PREFER TO SHIP TO SAVANNAH.
NAVAL STORES OPERATORS STATE
THEIR GRIEVANCES.

1hey Are Dissatisfied win the rem
sacOIa MarISet-GradinE and Gaug-
ing Rosin and Spirits There Unsnt-
isfactOry, They ThinIS-OnIy One
Firm in the Business-Mr. ShOtter
Admits That He Controls the Sit
untion at Pensacola, Being Inter-
ested with the Firm of Moses n
Co, Buying All Their Receipts ana
Selling 10 the Standard Oil Com
pany.
The interstate commerce commission
spent yesterday n hearing the complaint
by the Savannah Freight Bureau in be-
half of local shippers on the line of the
Pensacola and Atlantic division Of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad. of I'M
just and arbitrary rates, preventing them
from trading with Savannah.
Every member of the commission was
present, Hon. William r. Morrison of
Illinois. chairman Hon. J. {. Clements of
Georgia, Hon. NJ. A. Knapp Of New York,
Hon. j. D. Yeomans of Iowa ana Hon. c.
A. Prouty of Vermont
The session was announced 70 begin at
10 o'clock. The commissioners being &C.
customed to railroad time, however were
guided by the clocks at the De Soto, aad
did not make their appearance in the
United States court room until nearly Il
o'clock
quite a crowd of railroad men, attor-
neys and business had gathered by
this time. The commissioners were met
by Capt. D. G. Purse of the freight bu-
reau and Hon. f. G. duBignon. who in
troducedN them to a number of gentle
men present. Among those in the court
room were President II. NJ. Conner OF the
Central railroad, Vice President r. G. Err
win Of the Plant system, Vice President
S. r. Knott Of the Louisville and Nash
vile railroad, General Freight Agent f.
G. Sheperd of the Louisville and Nash
Vile, General Freight Agent T. b. Papy
of the Plant system, Vice President j.
NJ. Egan of the Central of Georgia railroad
and the Ocean Steamship Company Gem
eral Freight Agent A. Pope Of the Geor-
gia and Alabama railway, Judge L. D.
Baxter of Nashville, counsel for the
Louisville and Nashville: Alderman w.
G. Charlton, Col. w. w. Gordon, presi-
dent of the freight bureau; Mr.. B. A. Dem
mark. president of the South
j. L. Hardeman of Macon, Col.
Dudley of Dublin. General Freight Agent
Stone of the Macon and Birmingham, Mr..
J. NJ. Barnard, general agent Of the Ocean
Steamship Company; Messrs. Lawton and
Cunningham, counsel of the Central rail
road, and a number of other attorneys
and business men, who were interested
spectators. Mr.. w. w. Gordon,
Jr., counsel for the freight bureau
was promptly on hand. Traffic Manager
]. NJ. CUP and General Freight Agent II.
F. Smith of the Southern railway are also
in the city.
While the crowd was awaiting the ar
rival of the commissioners President Egan
of the Central created some diversion by
pinning a bright red rose upon the lapel
of Capt. Purses coat. Capt. Purse was
not inclined to permit overtures from the
enemy at first, but under the blandish-
ments Of Mr.. Egan he gracefully yielded
and accepted the offering. This drew up
on Capt. Purse a rafting fire of COM
ment from the railroad attorneys, to
which he replied in kind.
The commission opened its session with
out any unnecessary formality ana pro-
ceeded at once to business The COM
plant against the Louisville and Nashville
railroad was read by Mr.. w. w. Gordon
Jr., counsel for the freight bureau. The
complaint is quite lengthy, and the read
ers of the Morning News have already
been made familiar with its contents. IL
goes into details, citing the rates COM
upon shippers along the line of the Pensa-
cola and Atlantic by reason Of these rates.
which practically compel them to deal
with Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans
and bar them from Savannah and other
ports east of the Chattahoochee river.
The efforts which have been made to Sc
cure relief from the authorities of the
Louisville and Nashville railroad were
without avail
The reply on the part Of the Louisville
and Nashville was read by Judge Baxter.
Il was even more voluminous than the
complaint. All the allegations of the COM
plant, charging determinations against
Savannah in favor of Pensacola and other
ports were denied. The reply denied that
the rates in force were arbitrary or unus-
ual and that any hardship was inflicted by
them upon shippers along the line of the
road or that traffic was unnaturally di-
verted by the rates.
The reading of the complaints occupied
until nearly y o'clock. The first witness
called was J. S. Coleman a naval stores
OPERATOR of Bonifay, Fla. MIR. Coleman
testified that some time recently he had
endeavore1 to ship car load of naval
stores to Savannah, but the agent at the
station would give him no rate. The agent
did not positively refuse 70 give him a
rate to Savannah, but claimed that he had
no rates to this point, but put him off from
time to time until he was finally compelled
10 send MS Shipment 10 feuSacOld. MI
Coleman said that his experience with the
Pensacola market had been very unsatis-
factory and he preferred to ship TO Savan-
nah.
Mr. Goodwin. a naval stores operator
of Caryville. Fla, testified that he ship
ped to Pensacola because the rates TO Sa-
vannah were probibtory. He did not
consider Pensacola a good naval stores
market. The.d Is only one firm there,
A. NJ Moses & CO. His experience with
the grading of rosin and gauging of spic-
its at Pensacola had been very unsatis-
factory. The prices paid at Pensacola
are based upon the Savannah market, =
cent per gallon less being paid for spirits
and 10 cents per barrel less for rosn. Fac
tors are required 10 pay 10 per cent. for
advances as against per cent. at Sa,
yannah
Mr. L. c. Trenholm, superintendent OF
the Savannah Board o. Trade. testified
as to the manner Of grading rosin and
gauging spirits at Savannah, the quota
tons and other matters pertaining TO The
Savannah naval stores market Judge
Baxter handed Mr.. Trenholm a clipping
from the Morning News Of April ] con.
tanning the review Of the naval stores
,nnrIsrf far tho uaar inst ended TIA.