The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-17
WILL HE CHOSSE THE PEOPLE
OR THE RAILROADS.?
PRESSURE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON HIM
Railroads Confident They Have Landed Him,
and Atlantic and North Carolina Stock
has Gone up on Probability
of the Lease.

tPruay alJefHOOif Hdh i'I -
asked for more time 10 consider the
exceptions of the railroads and the argu-
ment of their counsel
The Commission will meet again this
morning and then final action will be
taken. What that action will be, there
is considerable doubt.
That DR.. Abbott will vote with the
railroads has never at any time during
the investigation been doubted. 1t IS
also now known that Mr.. Pearson Will
give his vote against them, or for a
reduction.
Chairman Caldwell, the third member
of the Commission, is the uncertain
quantity. The railroads. and Governor
Russell think that they have him. The
popuIists deny it with an assurance
that seems to carry with the denial Il
knowledge of what they are talking
about.
Thus the matter stands this morning.
With the chances, as best could learn,
in favor of Pearson and Caldwell stand
ing together when the matter comes TO
Il vote to-day.
To do this, however, Caldwell must
prove himself a man with weldetincd
convictions and the courage to stand 10
them. Within the past four days the
most terrible pressure has been brought
to bear upon him.
First, by the Governor, who telegraph
e, for him to come here Sunday, and
who has had conference after conference
with him since, including Il long dis
cussion of the question yesterday after
noon Then by Col. Andrews, who for
the first time since the new Commits
sioners have been in office, made Il social
call ut the Commission office Sunday
afternoon. The Colonel was accompa-
MED by Capt. Bill Day, who thinks the
Colonel the greatest man that the State
has ever produced or ever will produce
They spent half hour chatting with
Mr. Caldwell Since then the railroad
attorneys have managed 10 drop in now
and then and make themselves quite
pleasant.
This is the kind of fire the chairman
has had to go through for the past four
days.
OF course the Governor has urged upon
him the Importance of at once leasing
the Atlantic and North Carolina Rail
road; that it would mean 100000 a
year to the State; that it would be the
bright particular star in the armament
of his administration; that it would set
tie the North Carolina Railroad lease
sqtlbble and make the Southern pay the
costs; that If rates were not restored the
Southern will not lease the road, and
if the road is not leased the Atlantic
Coast Line will build link from New
bern to Washington and destroy the
Atlantic and North Carolina root and
branch. All this the Governor told Mr.
Caldwell, and much more in his plea
for restoration of rates.
Then from persuasion lie turned him
to threats.
For instance, he gave him to under
stand that If he persisted i'm his de-
termination ito reduce rates and the
railroads appeal, as they win do, the
State will furnish no money to fight the
suit in court.
Then Treasurer Worth and Auditor
Aver joined in with His Excellency and
said after hearing the evidence before
the Commission they didn't see how any
body could do otherwise than restore the
old rates. But these don't count, for
everybody knows that the Rev Ayers
highest ambition is to think as the Gov
ernor thinks. and as for Treasurer Worth
he thinks Of nothing beyond getting an
other dollar in the treasury and keeping
it there against all corners.
Perhaps it is some of these things, or
MI of them together, that have caused
the railroad people to be i'm such good
spirits since the hearing Tuesday. The
word has gone round among them that
rates are TO be put up again and the
Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad
leased to the Southern. That they be-
lieyed what they said is shown by the
fact that they have been advising their
friends to buy Atlantic and North Caro-
lima Railroad stock, and yesterday there
were many inquiries for it and the price
went climbing mp from % to 80, on the
belief that the Southern would get con
troll of the property on the terms pro-
posed by Governor Russell.
In spite of all these things CaldwellS
iopnllst friends last night refused to
entertain any doubt concerning his vote
to-day.
The commission met yesterday morn
ing at 10 O'clock.
On motion of Commissioner Pearson
the freight rate ON firewood. on All
roads in the State was reduced as fol-
lows:
TO 10 miles per cord-from 80 TO 4Oc.
10 to 10 miles per cord-from IS to 45c.
10 to 30 miles per cOrd-from 60 to SOC.
30 to 40 miles per cord-from 20 to SIC.
40 to 90 miles per cord-fr0m so to zoe.
This order goes into effect at once
on all roads in the State and applies to
carload lots, loaded and unloaded by
the shipper. The reduction was made
on petition of j A Smith of Ressnmn
City. This is the third reduction on
wood made by the Commission within
The last two yeaHs. The rate for a
fifty-mile haul used to be $1.10.
The clerk was directed to issue no
dice to the railroad companies going
into Wilmington to show cause Mt the
next session Of the Commission why n
lower rate on molasses should not he
given.
This was done on petition of Mr.. r.