The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-09-02
RUBBING RAILROAD
COMMISSIONERS.

notified Railroad Commissioners j. w
Wilson and S. Ohio Wilson that the,
must answer by September LIST. certain
questions as to whether or not they arr
disqualified to hold their positions al
commissioners any longer. To Com
missioner J. w. Wilson he wrote:
ut Is alleged that you are the join
owner with Col. A. B. Andrews, the
first Vice President of the Southern
Railroad, general political manager O.
the same for North Carolina, of Ger
tain piece of hotel property, known al
Round Knob, situated on the line q
the said railroad that said hotel pro
perty is worth little or nothing except
as hotel and that it is worthless fol
this purpose except when designated
and patronized by the Southern Rail
road as an eating-house Tor their pas
senger trains that said hotel property
has been unoccupied and unused fol
any purpose for several years past and
has brought in no revenue to you as
one OF its owners that it is impossible
for you to use, rent or lease said pro
perry unless some understanding, agree
ment or contract could be made with
the Southern Railroad Company to
designate and patronize the said hotel
as railroad eating-house that you
and the other owner or owners of said
botel property have secured some
agreement, understanding or contract,
from the Southern Railroad Company
to abandon other eating houses and de-
signate Round Knob as an eating
house; and that by virtue of said ar
engagements with said railroad that YOU
have been able to lease said hotel pro-
perty to S. Ohio Wilson or to his
mother through the said Wilson for
profit.
1t is further alleged that you have a
son in the employment Of the Southern
Railroad Company at Morganton, that
he was appointed to this place by the
Southern Railroad Company at your
request, and that he was appointed
over others entitled to the place by
promotion under the practice of the
and that this was done for
your accommodation and at your re-
quest"
To Commissioner S. Ohio Wilson
be wrote:
''It is alleged that a certain hotel
known as Round Knob is
jointly owned by Maj. J. w. Wilson and
Col. A. B. Andrews said Wilson being
one of the Railroad Commissioners ard
'ald Andrews being the first vice-pres-
dent of the Southern Railroad Com
oany and its active and general politi-
;al manager for this State; that this
is of little or no value except
or the hotel and worthless as a hotel
except as railroad eating house when
10 designated and patronized by the
Southern Railroad Company that this
'otel has been closed for several years
md has been producing no income for
is owners; that you, either in your
'wn name or in that of your mother
inferred into an agreement with Messrs.
wilson and Andrews for lease OF this
property for the purpose of establishing
railroad eating house and upon OBJ
aiming such agreement, you moved in
the hotel in the month of May or
une OF this year and have been con-
nuously since operating the property
n your own pecuniary profit under
I'D agreement that previous to your
'ntal or lease of this property, the
abroad Company maintained an eat
lg house at Hickory and another at
shevllle Tor the accommodation of
lelr various passenger trains going
9TH west and east; that promptly up
you opening \your hotel at Round
mob these eating houses were dlscon.
nued and both the western and east-
n trains haye been and still are stop-
I'd at your hotel for meals in pursu-
ice OF an understanding or agreement
contract between you of the one I
lrt and Messrs. Andrews and Wilson I
I'd the Southern Railroad COMPANY I
the other part"
The Governor says further in his G
tier that these allegations must be {
lswered by September LIST. a
He gives as his authority for his ac- I
IN in the matter the law passed by the
'gislature, 1891, which says that the r
'vernor must suspend any Railroad
who shall be holder of h
ny stock or bond of any railroad d
mpany or be the agent or employe
any such company; or have any in !
rest In any way in any such company !
In any case any one of them shall :,
come disqualified to act" :
He gives them hearing when he :;
uld have suspended them without