The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-07
rur WORTH CAROLIN5 RAiLhoAD'
The Plaintiffs Have Their lir'' "''
AIR. spencer Testihes'

c,,,pro1-rE, \. C.. Jan. Ga spe-
-, - The Observer from Salisbury ~
- tonight says that the hrs' nea,i,'9
~ The piainuns in the Norm -, thnre
Va,IwaV lease litigation was helu IN c,
,D~Sare snccia: Master craig to-day lhs
~, hofnre me special master Is TO se'
,siSa The lease Of the North Catoil'1
railway TO the Southern road
,rhe testimony of the defendants, GOV
,rnor RusscE representing the state ana
his hoard Of directors, has aHeduy p0cit
heard. Its purposes was To $40" iia .,'
IN the lease. The plain;iifs are the Sou'''-
crn Railway Company aLd the oiu Do"'
of directors Of the North Ca'oiiil" ""o
made the .easc To the southern ,.
samuel Spencer president 81 me Sou'h-
orn road. was the first FITNESS and les
,isec tha. the southern having changed It's
,~,,,t,us erc.u West Point TO Plnner
point va. desired the Norm Caroilhd
railroad as the best way TO reach lh'''
terminus and to connect the lueS Oh 'nc
southern. north of Carlotte
,rhe Atlantic and DanviEe was an al
tentative route and the Southern Conslo-
cred building from Manchester TO TIDE
water a. Norfolk. but preferred 'he route
~ the North Carolina road.
Al the Burlington. IN. c. meeting OF
tho old directors OF the North Carolina
road. wnen the Southern sought TO renew
the lease there were points of difference
between the directors and the Southern
the directors desiring TO rduce the terms
OF the lease ninety-nine years while the
Southe.n's representatives including Mr.
Spencer. objected to such reduction ana
so siCnified TO a committee consisting or
former President :. y. Alexander and
Director Spruill and the longtime lease
was made.
lie further said that no personal or
ether confederation nor any threat or per
sonal misrepresentation was made 10 any
person directly or indirectly connected
with the North Carolina road 10 further
the adoption of The lease
Mr. Spencer under cross-cx animation
said that the Southern in making its
lease of the North Carolina read. was
not following any presidents but was
renewing the lease Of 1871. which pro-
vided that the bettcrments OF the road
rould he removed at the expiration OF
I" lease The directors said that they
wanted 10 make tho new lease so as
not 10 allow of the removal of the better
ments. we we're willing 10 do this If they
would give US a lease sufficiently long 20
justify MS I'm doing So"
On redirect examination Mr.. Spencer
said that no work was done or intended
uDon the MocksvilIe -MooresYille link he
fore the attempted reputation OF the
lease by the defendants In this litigation
Former President Alexander testified
that he thought the lease the best trade
the State ever made. by which the State
gets 1-e per cent. until 1901 and after that
: innr cent. and taxes in evidence OF this.
He said the State took the Southern
nrst mortgage bonds 20 the amount OF
s2sO.O00 az security for the lease money
and ne considered the security a safe one
No pressure was brought 10 bear. All
the members OF the former board now liv-
inc offered similar testimony
The court took a recess till 3 o'clock TO-
morrow morning.