The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-01-20
WILSON BEFORE
THE COMMISSION
The Ex-Commissioner on the
Stand and Answers Under
Protest Questions Pro-
bounded.
FOR A REDUCTION OF RATES


duosd-FertiIIzr Rates Cut One-siHth-
Also Cotton Ratss-A working Body IL
the Railroad Commission.
The Railroad Commission met last
Thursday in pursuance to the call
OF Chairman Caldwell.
The Commission continued the in
vestigation of determinations by
railroads and express companies. Mr..
=. Otho Wilson was the first witness
to be examined. Chairman Cald-
we'll propounded the following ques-
ton:
"Mr. Wilson, state whether or not,
since the 1st day of January, 1898,
you have used pass over any rail
road within the State"
By your permission | would like to
state, with due Difference to the
Commission and court, that owing
to the litigation between yourself
and myself, shall answer this ques.
ton, but under protest.
''l want to assure you that 1t is not
the purpose OF the Court to use any
of this testimony against you," said
Chairman Caldwell.
IL you will pardon me, it might be
so, but / shall proceed to answer
the question: replied Mr.. Wilson.
AS far as this court is concerned
we shall not take any advantage of
any answer given.
would state, however, that ss a
newspaper publisher, publishing
sche dulles, get transportation in
exchange for advertising in my pa
per, some of which l have had oc-
casion to use, some have not.
State then whether since the first
day of January, 1898, you have used
free transportation over the South
ern Railway or any other line within
the State because of the fact that
you advertise for them7
| have.
Will you please designate the
lines
The only one l have received up
to date is over the Southern. The
Seaboard Air Line has not been re.
ceived. | have filed application
through the local agent and he
stated that it would be sent. / have
only published two schedules, the
Southern and the Seaboard Air Line
State whether or not during 1897
or 1898, you have enjoyed tele-
graphic frank9
l have not, or prior to that time
- or at any time.
State whether during the time
mentioned +(1S97 or 1899 the South.
ern Express Company dead-headeC
any articles of any kind for you OF
Mrs. WilsonP
There was package dead-headeG
from Richmond, Va, to Raleigh
from myself to Mrs. Wilson on Christ
mas eve or the Thursday befor,
Christmas. The package, SUI pose
would weigh four ounces, and ship
ment of box of about sixty pounds
at the same time, freight on which
was paid.
During the summer of 1897 dit
you enjoy any favors, you or Mrs
Wilson, from the Southern Express
Company, at Round Knob or Raj
eigh dead-head9
Not to my knowledge. l hsv'
had no intimation of such. Their
was one shipment OF watermelon
that might be called discrimina
ton, but not dead-head. l went t
the express office here and aske,
the rate of watermelons. They toll
me. / bought the melons, 15 or 2
and shipped them. When | cam
back, they stated that they wer
mistaken in the rate; that it wa
higher than the rate gwen. state'
that could not afford to pay tha
rate, and that had already bough
the melons. The clerk said: "Well
Twill have to take them, but it vii
have to come out of me"
Was there any shipment dead
headed or for less than regular rate
from the city of Asheville to Rouu,
Knob by yourself or your mother 7
No, sir, there was not.
State, if at any time the Souther
Railway transported horse for yo
from Raleigh to Round Knob or frol
any other point in the State to Roun
Kuobq
They shipped pair of horses, wae
on and carriage, but not horse Sc,
arate from any other.
Atregular chargesf
suppose so. Gave one fare fC
the round trip. There was a ca
load of furniture. l applied, whe
going to Round Knob to the Soutl
ern for rates uson that shipment ,
my stuff for the summer to Rour
Knob and return, and they gave n
the rate of one fare for the Iour
trip. That included everythir
shipped.
Commissioner Pearson: "What O
fetal of the Southern Railway d
you make your application tor
my recollection is that it was NJ
Munson, Division Freight Agent
You then got the shipment
Il half the regular rates7"
u do not know that, sir; wheth
that is their regular rate | do n
know. l know that it is done {
summer tourists. l suppose it is
any person wanting to move thu
houshold goods for the summer"
~ understand that there is som
thing of the kind for passenger rat,
/ did not know it was for freight
81 would like to state that all the
round trip rates are made by I
roads themselves under the gene
terms of the law, and SO far as !
recollection goes, the Commissi
usually allowed that round trip RAJ
were not discrimination"
"Was that the case with freif
shipments9r
II suppose so. That was my
preston at the time"
Chairman Caldwell: During q
time last summer did you huve q
load of fertilizer or something sh
ped to Rou-. Knob Z"
"No, sir, had one ton of fertili
| NWhat rates were chargeds"