The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-31
CLERK PAGAN
TURNED OUT
His Place was Wanted for
Senator Shear.
NO CHARGES PREFERRED
COMMISSIONERS DIDN'T THINK
PAGAN WAS LOYAL.
PREPARING TO REDUCE THE RATES
n Future Railroads Must Make Detailed Quar-
terry Statements and Also Give
the Number Of Passes used
rurinu the Time :,
During the Time.

new Railroad Commissioners are sweep
apg things pretty clean. And they seem
10 have a new sensation for each sue
seeding day.
First came the decision and the ex-
eiting contest attendant upon their TAX
ing possession of the office. Then. fol-
loweo the meeting Wednesday end the
refusal of free passes.
Yesterday they started IN their oay s
Abors by the adoption of the following
resolution, written and introduced ny
MIR. Pearson:
Resolved, That c. G. Pagan, present
clerk to the Equalization Board and as
sistant clerk to the Railroad Commits
sion, be discharged.
"Resolyed. That A. G. Sharp be elect
ed clerk to the EQUALIZATION Board ana
assistant clerk to the Commission"
DIR. Abbott voted against this resolu-
ton. MIR. Pagan is from his district,
was his candidate for the place and was
elected when DIR. Abbott went into OF
fee, by the votes of himself and MAJ.
Wilson. Maj Wilson agreed to vote
for Fagan, who is Pritchard Popuhst'
If DIR. Abbott would vote for Mr.. Brown,
the chief clerk, who is Democrat
Ridiculous as it may now seem, Otho
Wilson voted for the Governors brother,
John Russell.
So it was but natural yesterday that
Abbott should stand by Pagan. But
that one vote could do him no good.
Caldwell and Pearson had decided that
they waited Fagan's place anf they
proceeded TO take it.. They had BECOME
convinced. Ahat he w. not in sympathy
with thea and theiY policy and they
wanted somebody who was. Hence they
dismissed Pagan and gave his place 70
A. G. Sharp, of Iredell county. a Res
1nhIican and a member of the Senate IN
the last Legislature. .g
He was Mr. Caldwells candidate and
Mr.. Pearson voted for him on condition.
Mr.. Caldwell agree that Mr.. Brown, the
chief clerk should not be disturbed Mr..
Sharp goes into office and Mr.. Pagan
retires on January i.
The new clerk. Sharp, is farmer and
a man Of perhaps so years. He has
twice 1S75'77) been a member of the
House, and twice (1S95'9D of the Sem
ate. Up to 1880. when he Joined the
Republican party, he was a Conservative
He is now a free silver, anti-ra5lroad
Republican, He has been here since
Monday -ava
1t was at first reported that MrFagan
would give up but enter suit for salary
for two years on the ground that he
had been elected for that length of time.
He denied Yesterday afternoon, though,
that he had expressed any such inten-
ton and said he had not yet decided
what he would do; that he would act
on the advice of his lawyer. The new
Commissioners claim that he was elect
ed to serve only during the pleasure Of
the Commission and can be dismissed
at any time.
The salary of this clerkship is $1,000
a year-S600 as clerk to the Board OF
Equalization and S400 az assistant clerk
to the Railroad Commission.
A REDUCTION OF RATES.
Before the new Railroad Commission
ers came into office it was charged that
if they got in, one of their first acts
would be to reduce rates.
Though this is not literally true, yet
il did not miss the mark far. Had it
been said that one of their first acts
would be to make investigation of the
condition of the railroads of the State
with a view to finding out whether or
not they can stand reduction of freight
and passenger rates--that would have
been the exact fact.
This, Commissioners Pearson and
Caldwell acknowledged to me, was the
object of the following order proposed
by Mr.. Pearson and adopted by the Com
mission:
"Ordered that quarterly report, form
"B," be amended so as to show de-
tailed statement of freight and passen-
ger earnings, operating expenses, excess
earnings, and deficiency for each quar-
ter.
"Ordered, further, that separate de-
tailed report Of earnings and expenses
shall be made for each main and branch
line or division.
''Ordered, further that this report
shall be filed in the office of the Railroad
Commission within 80 days after the
close of each quarter.
EFFECTIVE ON and after January LIST,
$685."
From this it will be seen that the Com
mission intends to do two things: Have
more frequent and complete reports from
the railroads than it has heretofore been
getting, and make every important
branch road or division of a system
stan for itself.
The last annual statement Is now be-
ing compiled and will soon be ready for
inspection. Three months from now the
first quarterly report will be in. "From
these" said Mr.. Pearson, Eve can be-
gin to form some idea of the condition of
the various roads and how much reduc-
ton In rates, IL any, they can stand"
The quarterly report will be almost
as full and exhaustive, for the period
it covers, as is the annual report. In
addition to the the questions that have
heretofore been asked in the quarterly
report the following, touching free pass
es. viii be asked: Total number Of
trough 'dead-head' passengers Gnclud-
ing employes); total number of local
'dead-head' passengers Gncluding en-
ployes); total number Of through