The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-03-03
THE 4. R. COMMISSION WORK.
A BRiEF OUTLINE Of TINE new Or.
oERs ISSUED ~ TINE PRESENT
RAILROAD eonU,SSion.

RAILROAD COMMISSION.
In Which the Public 10 Iss~r~sssd ssd Dca
nteA-s>sss Conspicuous Aess which
VIII save the People Nearly One
Ailiies Doliars-
Since the Few members Of th
Railroad Commission have taken OF
fee. they have been attending 4
matters in which the public il large
~ interested. We give herewith
brief review OF what has been done
First-On December 30th, 1897
the Commission made Al order tha
the railroad companies in the Stat
make quarterly detailed statement
Of their freight and passenger earn
ings and that the report also shoy
separately the earnings and expen
ses of m ain and branch lines.
Second-On Jan. eth, they mad
an order reducing the telephone rate
The telephone companies are fight
ing this reduction and the case 10 (,
be argued in either tbs Snperio
Court of Wake county or the So.
creme Court As to the right Of th.
Railroad Com mission to reduce rates
In the meantime the old rates ar,
still IN force, bat III Duld tho cour
decide in favor of the commission
then the telephone companies vii
have to give a rebate to patrons from
the day the order was to 60 into Of
feet, February LIST, 1898.
Third-On FEBRUARY 18th q gen
eral reduction IN fertilizer rates va.
made. The average reduction beine
about 20 per cent. The farmer viii
receive the benefit of this reduction
Notwithstanding the report Of some
papers that only merchants would be
benefited. The cut was made in car
load lots and also on smaller ship
ments, SO that if the farmer buys hi.
guano from a distant point he vii
save on an average 20 per cent. or
freight rates that were in force pre-
vious so this order.
Fourth-Corn rates have been re-
duced from points in Eastern Caro-
lima to Raleigh 33t per cent. Thi.
will enable the farmers of the east
ern section to compete with shippers
from the West. Heretofore the ship
pers Of Eastern Carolina were dis
eliminated against to the advantage
of Western shippers. This orde,
went into effect February 10th, 1898
Fifth-An order was made to re-
quire railroad corporations to make
settlement with the consignee within
thirty days any loss, damage, OF
overcharge on freight. Heretofore
the railroads would let this matte,
drag along and the consignee get lit.
tie or no satisfaction for q just claim
against them and months would
elapsed before any settlement coui,
be reached. A good and just ord sr
Sixth-This is the most importa
order enacted by the Commission
the reduction of passenger rates from
st cents first class and q cents sec.
oud class to . cents and 9 cents r-.
spectively. This means a saving to
the public of over half q million dol.
lars annually. This order is eff ...
tive from and after March 23d, 1898
but the railroads will fight the r..
duction and already exceptions ar.
hled with the Commission, stating
that they cannot stand the cut. Il
is supposed, and reasonably correct,
that over 125. 900 passes are ANNUALLY
issued by the various railroad lines
in North Carolina, and if this evil il
abolished and those who have been
enjoying this privilege pay their fare
when travelling, the railroads car
easily stand the reduction made. Be
sides, with reduced rates, travel will
increase and these will fully make
up the apparent loss by reduction OF
fares.
Seventh The Commission have
also promulgated an order effectine
the issue of free passes to newspa.
pers. That is limiting passes on &C.
count of advertising. No paper is
to receive a greater compensation in
the way of free passes than the &C.
tual advertisement is worth on a
cash oasis. Railroad attorneys no,
acting in the paid services of the
company are also restricted.
The above is synopsis of what
mas been done since Messrs. Cald we'll
and Pearson were appointed Rail
road Commissioners. A good record
and the people will endorse every
order issued.