The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-20
An Opinion by the At
tOrney General
RAILWAY STATISTICS
and Expenses Of the Roads Of
n State for Past Fiscal Year-The
Number Of Persons Killed and In.
jured-Another Dividend by the A.
and N. c. Rallroad-Supplies Receiv.
ed for rive State Guard Companies.
The Agricultural Department
Raleigh. \. c., December 10.
Messenger Bureau,

Raleigh, n. c., December 10.
The reports shows hat the expenses
Of the agricultural department this
year were s44, 900. The balance on hand
is $27. 600. The board of agriculture dis
cussed the question of opening the
state museum Sunday afternoons and
decided not to do SO. 1t appointed ].
c. L. Harris, Joyce and Spruill as the
legislative committee.
Supplies for five companies of the
state guard have been received and
requisition is made for enough to COM
pletely supply the remaining compa-
MES.
d. H. Young, a republican who for
two years was clerk of the superior
court here, and who was defeated at
the recent election, was today APP
pointed a deputy collector n assign
ed to duty in the office of the reve-
nue. collector, vice E. A. Womble,
commission expired. Womble was a
civil service man, but is dropped I'M
der the arrangement" mad to evade
the civil service.
The directors of the Atlantic and
North Carolina railway met at New
Bern this evening and finding $50, 900
of profits on hand, declared another
dividend of 1 per cent, it being the
second dividend declared this year.
The attorney general today rendered
an opinion of much general interest
and Importance regarding the appoint
ment of magistrates. 1t is given the
secretary of state in response to an
inquiry by Clerk Watson, Of Craven
superior court. The attorney general
says: cit is my opinion hat clerks are
authorized to appoint justices of the
peace to a vacancy caused by death,
resignation or other cause during the
term of office and also in case of fail
ure Of the electors of any district to
elect. The second clause of Section %,
Article 4, of the constitution has again
become operative by virtue of the act
of 1895, chapter 157, section 4. When a
person is elected justice of the peace
and fails to qualify, it becomes the
duty of the governor to appoint. l am
inclined to think that a justice of the
peace elected on the first Monday in
December, 1898, has three months from
thai date within which to qualify"
The governor has, therefore, power to
appoint only in one contingency.
The railway commission report says
Of accidents to persons during the
year, that of passengers only 2 were
killed Con the Raleigh and CASTOR
railway and x injured. OF employees
% were killed and 602 injured. OF tres
passers Y were killed and 81 injured,
and Of persons not ~trespassing, 2 were
killed and 20 injured. The total is SO
killed and 7S0 injured.
The earnings, etc, of the various
systems in the state were: Atlantic
Coast Line, gross earnings from opera
ton 50, 1856, 919, operating expenses
81, 737,472, income from operation $,251,-
456. Southern, gross earnings from OPP
Grafton 81, 701, 2S2, operating expenses
50, 1916, 1872, income from operation 81, 724,-
4S9. Seaboard Air Line, gross earnings
from operation 81, 155, 240, operating ex-
penses 81, 4SS, 1913, income from opera
ton $666, 412. Miscellaneous roads, gross
earnings from operation s1,60S, 065, OPP
Grating expenses 81, 1872, 456, income from
operation s505, 900.