The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-08
THE PILL THAT WILL.


MS hne from Savannah and Charleston.
He admitted that the compensation to
the road was about six mills per ton per
mile on these shipments from Charleston
which was in excess of the cost of the
service performed, while on similar ship
ments from Savannah the compensation
was about mills per ton He admitted
in answer to questions by Mr.. Gordon that
the charge to some of the local stations
Ior savannah shipments was practically
double the charge for similar shipments to
the same points from Charleston.
Mr.. Robinson, general freight agent of
the WrightsVille and Tennille railroad, tes-
titled as to rates on through and COMPETE
tive business on that line. About the
most interesting event of the afternoon
! was the testimony of Mr.. John A. Smith,
manager of the Charleston bureau of
transportation. Mr.. Smith was evidently
under the impression that the complaint
was aimed at Charleston and had come de-
termined to get in a word for his town. He
was granted the privilege of making a
statement at his own request.
The bureau of transportation, Mr. Smith
SAID by way of explanation, was support
ed by the city of Charleston, an appropri-
alton being made from the city treasury
for this purpose. Mr.. Smith said he had
taken especial note of a question asked
Mr.. Papy by Commissioner Knapp as to
why the Plant system, which had so much
the shorter line to Valdosta, only got 10
per cent. of the business from Charleston
TO that point. He desired to explain the
reason for this, Mr., Smith said which
was that the people of Charleston were
very much dissatisfied with the Plant sys-
TEN on account of the fact that it had
advanced the fertilizer rates to points in
Florida and Alabama al the opening of the
last season, and as a result business to
competitive points had been given to other
lines.
Charleston, Mr. Smith said, did not
claim any particular territory as belong
ing to her. Her idea was to expand her
territory as much as possible. Savannah
on the other hand, he said seemed to IA
Vor the idea of holding to a certain ter
ritory and excluding other points from it.
Charleston, he said had no objection to
Wilmington and Savannah being given
rates into her territory provided Charles
ton was given similar advantages in the
territory of Savannah and Wilmington
He complained that this was not the case
and that Charleston was Disseminated
against in favor of both Savannah and
wilmington. Savannah gets the same
rates TO points in the lower half of South
Carolina, he said, as does Charleston, but
he complained that in Georgia Savannah
got much better rate to points to which
she was fifty or seventy-five miles nearer
than was given Charleston He did not
think this was right. The rates should be
the same. With this idea in view, he adj
voeated the blanket rate system, or group
ing of number of points under one. a
common rate, to which groups. he said
Charleston should be admitted on the same
basis as Savannah.
Mr.. Smith claimed that the cost of man
ufacturing fertilizers in Charleston was
the same as in Savannah, and that for
this reason the Charleston manufacturers
should be admitted into Georgia territory
on the same basis as Savannah. From
Macon north and west the rates were the
same. he said, and Charleston also enjoy
ed the same rates to Columbus and other
common points in Georgia as Savannah.
Commissioner Prouty inquired of Mr..
Smith If he thought, taking a point 200
miles from Charleston and 100 miles from
Savannah, that Charleston was entitled
to the same rate as Savannah. Mr.. Smith
admitted that this would be asking a
little too much. but he thought that where
the difference was not so great the rate
should be the same. The Plant system,
he said, ignored distance entirely in MAX
ing rates on cotton, giving the same rates
to Savannah and Brunswick from points
to which Brunswick was forty-nine miles
nearer Mr.. Smith said in conclusion that
the determinations in Charleston's terri
tory in favor of Savannah about balanced
the determinations in Savannah's terri
tory In favor of Charleston
tilizer complaint. Briefs will be rendered
to the commission by the attorneys in the
usual manner
About an hours time was required to
dispose of the complaint of the freight
bureau against the Charleston and Savan-
nah railroad, charging that road with
having a higher passenger rate between
Savannah and Charleston than Is allow
ed by the railroad commissions of the
state of Georgia and South Carolina. The
railroad did not dispute the rates, but set
up the claim that the small amount OF
local traffic and the poverty of the coun-
try through which the road, runs, to-
gether with the condition In which II is
necessary to maintain the road on ac-
count of being part Of the northern and
southern tourist route, justified the road
in charging the rate in force. cents per
mile. Mr. {. S. Gadsden, superintendent
OF the Charleston and Savannah railway,
and Mr.. II. {. 'MeFadden, assistant gem
cral passenger agent Of the Plant system.
gave testimony In behalf OF the road.
The hearing concluded shortly after
o'clock. Five carriages were In waiting
In front of the building, an invitation OF
the board OF trade 10 the commissioners
20 be It's guest for the evening having been
accepted. Besides the members OF the