The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-10

| years. The report SHOWS lndt thche -
an increase of $S2.215 over last year
/ earnings per quarter. November ne
cember and January, the quarter from
which this is taken, was more than an
| average.
The Commission here adjourned for
dinner. Upon reassemblng at ) o'clock
there was discussion as to whether the
renort presented covered the information
desired Inv the Commission. Mr.. Dou-
glass. of counsel for the Governor, re-
Piled TO Mr.. Burton counsel for the rail-
road. Mr.. Douglass made the point that
the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
Company was laboring under the idea
that the quarterly report demanded by
| the Commission required only the sepa-
ration of the local freight and passenger
receipts from that of such as were not
strictly local, when as matter Of fact
| the separation of receipts required was
| that Of intra-State and Interstate
Col. Hnsdale said such being the ease.
the report is not of the slightest use to
them. What they wanted was the Sepa-
ration of the earnings of the through IN
terstate to the local intra-state MT.
Riach replied that it would be two weeks
| before he could furnish such report, us
| they had to use the way bills from the
agents in making up the reports. AFTER
| a conference Col. Einsdale asked per
| mission that the Wilmington and WEI.
| don Railway case be continued untI
some later day until the reports called
| for he presented.
President Elliott said he regretted it
worry much. that it was unfortunate. that
| tho renort herein presented was the iden-
tical one given to stockholders, that he
was not irving to conceal facts and he
hoped the Commission would set an
other day for the hearing. 1t was agreed
that the case be continued until Tuesday,
| June 2Sth.
Mr. Henderson. counsel for Southern,
asked for postponemcnt of the agu-
ment in the Southern's case until that
| time. Col Hinsdale said that every road
should stand on its own merits and did
not want to delay the argument. In reply
Mr.. Henderson said they were ready at
any time but different constructions had
been placed on the Nebraska decision,
| they claiming one thing and the State
another, and that they, of a necessity,
wanted to he here to hear the argument.
| Chairman Caldwell said it was the sense
| of the Commission that the reports be
rcmanded to the several roads to fill up
every blank. This is for the purpose Of
| having the railroad to comply with the
order of the Commission. The motion
| to postpone argument in the Southern
| Railway case was denied.
| ABOUT REDUCING II. II. RATES.
Colonel Hinsdale opened the argument
! as counsel for the Governor against the
| Raleigh & Castor railroad, and said that
| the reports presented were not sworn TO;
! that they do not take into account inter
| ests elsewhere, but only on the Raleigh
| and Castor: that the question was what
| will be the amount of the reduction So
| far as the Raleigh and CASTOR railway
! is concerned in the aggregate of the rate
reduction A reduction of 20 per cent,
! if gross intra-State affairs. Mr.. Hinsdale
/ said that the quarterly gross receipts
/ for intra-State passengers was S10,24l.-
/ 40. The percentage is not to he calcu-
| lated on the entire value of the road,
| but to intra- State business. Colonel
IIinsdale exhibited Il long list of figures
/ and calculations which he filed with the
/ commission.
Mr.. Glover, of the Raleigh and Gas
| ton, said he hoped the Commission would
/ not lose sight Of the fact that the report
of January, February and March is the
| heaviest for years in freight.
Mr.. w. G. Douglass opened the argu-
ment for the Governor VS.. the Southern
| railway. He said that the Southern
railway should be estopped from talking
| about the assessed valuation of the
| North Carolina railroad. That as an eX-
| ample the real estate in Wake county
would not bring its assessed value. Mr.
| Douglass said the original cost of the
| North Carolina railroad was four mil
| lion dollars. but that the Southern claim
Ell it could he built for three million.
| Mr.. Douglass made n characteristic talk
tel..ng of how the through trains were
supplied with velvet cushioned seats,
costly smoking rooms and all modern
| conveniences, while the trains from
Greensboro to Goldsboro were dusty and
slow, and were pulled by what is known
as ''coffee pot" engines. He said that
the railway company made the fellow
who rode to Selma or Cary help pay for
the palace car in which ride the rich.
And when they killed man aud had
to pay $4,000 damages, this was put
in the disbursement column and the PEG
pie paid the bills. He said there was no
danger of the Southern giving up the
North Carolina railroad; that before
they would do that they would haul
people at a cent and a half n mile.
Mr.. Fairfax Harrison, counsel for the
Southern, said that the reports show
only intraState business which was pre-
pared before the Nebraska decision.
| There is nothing in this decision to EN-
| power the railroads TO furnish inter-
| State business, but only to make reports
in the intra State business.
| Major Charles NJ. Stedman, Of counsel
| for the Governor, followed. In speaking
| of the Nebraska case, he said: "Rejoic-
| ing that / am a citizen of this great Re
! public, with a profound love for its in
! situations and respect for its courts,
| am unwilling to accede to the construc-
| ton of the Nebraska case placed upon
| it by the attorneys Of the railroad com
| panies. If il be true, as they contend,
| that this Commission can require no
| statement from the railroad companies
| OF their Interstate business to be used
| as a basis of comparison and investiga-
| ton of business done within the State
| that the same may be regulated with
| justice to the people of North Carolina