The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-07
WILSON TO RUSSELL.
The Answer Of Chairman Wilson Of the
Railroad Commission to the Charges
Made Against Him by Governor Russell.

fta4olSQ, N. -, August ~.
The following is the reply Of Major
Wilson to Governor Russelps charges:
TO Daniel L. Russell, Governor Of North
Carolina:
Sir:-Your favor Of the 25th citing me
TO appear before you on Wednesday,.
the LIST day of September, and reply in
writing to certain rumors or charges
from parties unknown to me, n show
cause why I hould not be removed
from the responsible position as chair
man of the railroad commission, agree
able to section / Of the act creating
this commission, was duly received.
In obedience thereto I herewith sub
NIT his my answer to each charge in
the order as given in your letter. 1t is
drawn by myself, and possibly free
from the elegant diction which a law
yer would have impaired, but l feel
sure it will carry conviction to an m
partial mind.
/. 1t is not true as alleged that l am
sthe Joint owner with Colonel A. Il.
Andrews, vice president of the South
4ern railway and general political man.
@ager Of the same for North Carolina, in
a certain piece of hotel property known
as Round Knob"
Z. II . ~ 1AS IA"S c~
worthless for that purpose except when
designated and patronized by the
Southern Railroad Company as an eat
ing house for their passenger trains
3. 1t is not true that said hotel
property has been unoccupied and un-
used for any purpose for several years
past and brought in no revenue to me
as one of it's owners"
4. 1t is not true that it was impos-
ali D. ,,ro 1ooGo nr r0nf cQi6 rOner
ty unless some understanding, agree
ment or contract could be made with
the Southern Railroad Company to des-
ignate and ~patroniZe the said hotel
as a railroad eating house.
5. 1t is not true as alleged that L
with the other owner or owners or SAID
property have secured an agreement,
understanding or contract from the
Southern Railroad Company to apan-
don other eating houses and
Round Knob as an eating house, and
by virtue of said arrangements with
said railroad that I a been able TO
lease said hotel property to Ohio Will
son, or his mother through the said
Wilson for profit"
6. 1t is untrue as further alleged that
T have a son in the employment OF the
Southern Railroad Company at my re-
quest and that he was appointed over
OLQGTS enlltlcu " Tx pidSS ~
ton under the practice Of the company
and this was lone for my accommodate
ton and at my request"
T hereby denOunce these allegations
as made to you by many persons as
false, and demand the proof.
In explanation I will state that about
1881, Colonel Andrews and myself
quilt thish hotel at a cost Of about $4,000.
1t is not worthless as stated but is a
49, oo~ynriont on6 hoQj1tlfnl hOfeI
with thirty rooms, closets and baths
on each floor: and was leased and run
as a hotel for several years with no
meals supplied to passengers. The
property had not been unoccupled Tor
years as charged, but, on the contrary,
was leased up to last year at an an
nual entail Of $500 per annurn to a re-
sponsible party, with no understanding
of any kind with the Southern Rail-
road Company.
In a casual conversation with Mr..
Ohio Wilson, my recollection is that
spoke Of this very desirable property
which was then vacant, the lease OF
Frissard & Company, having expired
and saying hat the superintendent OF
the road had sent me word If some one
would open and keep a good house, ne
would make it a dinner house; the
hotel at Hickory was then closed and
nv IMPRESSION is that ASheville was
not hen a regular eating house, but OF
this I am not sure. Mr.. wilson re-
marked that his mother was looking
around for a boarding house and pos
sibly this might suit her and ne would
go up examine the property; this
he did and on his return expressed
himself as greatly pleased, but said the
former lessees had left the property in
bad condition and very dirty. I was
aware Of this and replied that on this
account if his mother would put the
place in good repair she could have 1t
the first year free Of rent-this much
for the profit as charged; the message
to me. about the eating house was not
intended for Mr.. Ohio Wilson or his
mother, but was sent before Mr.. Will
son or his mother ever thought of it
and intended for any person I could
get who would keepHa first class table.
The management of the property was
left entirely to me and my recollection
is that l never mentioned the matter
to Colonel Andrews until the trade
was contaminated through Mr.. Ohio
Wilson for his mother.
The land upon which the Round
Knob property was located, belonged
to John Malone. Colonel Crockford and
myself. This party owed a debt of
. about SO, 900 to X. NJ. Brown, Of Nc
.DOwell county. l was the only n of
the party now living and was alone
responsible for the debt. Fol- the hotel
itself 1 paid $4,000, Colonel Andrews
50, 900. Colonel Andrews interest being
about or.e-fOurth of the hotel with
about ten acres of land adjoining. Be
fore the receipt of your letter l had
no idea that any man in North Caro-
lima seriously considered that my own
ing a piece of property Jointly with
Colonel Andrews. and held by us joint
ly since 1881. and nov rented by q
widow. which being in addition to a
summer reSert was a dinner house for
the passenger trains Of the southern
railroad, would ever in any way be so
construed as TO make me in any form
under obligations to the Southern rail-
road. Finding. however. by your let
ter that there were parties who be-
lieved or pretended to believe that this
was indirectly q violation of the act,
I promptly under advice of friends to
avoid "even the appearance of evil"
decided my undivided interest in the
" ID DrA1-- fNr * N n -,