The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-10-06
No Advance Made
Request for Increased Freight
Rates Refused.

1t has been definitely decided that
there vii! be no Increase Of freight
rates oa The railroads Of this State in
tie near future. Some time ago the
roads presented to the State railroad
commission reques: for ao increase of
rates and there was big hearing over
the matter. Recently the Florida Cen
tral and Peninsuar system presented a
separate additional request for an in
crease on their lines The Georgia aud
North Carolina cou nssioners some
time ago we're asked for reductions by
certain parties, yesterday the entire
matter was taken Up by the local COM
missioa and all requests we're refused,
Commissioner Thomas, bovcver, adco.
c4t;ag very strongly reduction IN
sone instances.
Whau the commission met. Commis.
s'oner Wilborn offered the resolution
be'ov in reply TO tee application 0: she
rGl!cO2GS 1OT q raise o. rates.
Resolved, Tha. tie request 0: the
raiIroa& companies ;or 40 increase On
tie rates OF certain commodities pamed
IN paper submitted TO this board ca
TIC tn inst, De not granted, fe7 the
reGssa ;has local rates are oas Of pro-
portion 70 shc Interstate Yates. as wci!
as ;or other reasons waich will be Derc-
afsc7 uore freely Sc: forte
Commissioners Ihomas offered tic iqi.
loving as & sGbatitutc
Resol=ed, That the traffic managers
oe invited to assist the board Of com
miSsioncrs 10 Immediately revising and
rea6jus;iog the whole schedule Of rates
ia force in this State, aDd that cotton
and fertilizers. the principal conmoGi-
ties. be put on an equitable basis, doing
justice to both.
Commissioner Thomas made speech
advocating the reduction of rates on
cotton.
The board voted agaipst Mr. Thomas
resolution
10 the matter of the application of
tie Florida Central and Peninsular
road, the beard voted against the appli-
cation. Commissioner Thomas spoke
for the application as follows
"Nr. Chairman The schedule Of
rates on the Florida Central and Peuin-
sular are practically the same as the
rates used by she South Carolina aod
Georgia railway The traffic manager
asks to be allowed to work tie same
schedule as the Mancheste. and Angus
ia railroad
"T'he rate on one railroad is DO fair
criterion for another road. The Jaw
recognizes that fact when it instruc,a
this board to make just and reasonable
rates for each road doing business liz
this State. Each road has its different
conditions, the amount of capital re-
quired to construct, the power peces-
sary to haul freight ever lis grades ard
the volume of business. Ali these
various conditions must en:e: into the
determination of fair and just rates.
I have prepared some tables to show
the conditions Of these several roads
and the rate Of freight charges neces-
sary to fix to NEE. the several condi-
tions ~
He quoted figures and continued
The percentage of expenses to TO-
come is for the South Carolina and
Georgia railroad 81 per cent. while for
the Florida Centra! and Peniusular it
is 105 per cent The Florida Central
and Peninsaar cannot reduce its ex-
penses to parity with the South Cs7o-
Ina aDd Georgia railroad because the
tim5crs 10 the road bed and structures
have ali at once reached the limit OF
their life and public safety demands a
far greater amour: cf renewals so that
the expenses for maintenance Of way
aod structures on the Florida Central
and Peninsulor is l.0l9 per mile while
the South Carolina End Georgia have
only expended 4S3 per mile for the
same purpose The South Carolina
and Georgia is complete and finished in
all its sppurtenapces. lis terminals,
its sidines, lis stations. water tanks.
ditehes. etc 10 ;se one item Of brids-
es aud trestles the South Carolina
and Georgia have an average of 40
feet per mile, While the Florida Cen
tral aud Peoinsular have an average of
800 feet per mile
These statistics show conclusive!y
that the Florida Central aud PeniusuIar
cannot wo-k the same 7ate as the South
Carolina aud Georgia railroad
'sThe Florida Central aud PeuiDsu,ar
canuot work the same rates at the Man
CHESTER ard Augusta without greatly
economizing It's expenses because of the
difference in grades. curves. etc
The Map chester aud Augusta has a