The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-17
MADE BY COMMISSION
VIGOROUS ANSWER TO SIMON
TONS INJUNCTION.
AsLE COUNSEL EMPLOYED TO FIGHT u
Simonton and the Railroads Will Find that They
Have Walked up the Wrong Passenger
THIS lime in Chairman
McNei.

The Corporation Commission has deci-
lion against enforcement of the new
fertilizer rate on the Carolina Central
Railroad TO this end the commission
has retained Shepherd and BlSbee, %
this city. as attorneys.
The \ gricultural Department. repre-
senting the interest of the farmers of
, matter 1t has employed Battle and
Mordeca. ard Simmons. Pou X Ward.
as attorneys To assist the commission IN
lighting the case i'll the courts.
The commission has been III session
this week. collecting data concerning the
Carolina Central rates. 10 he used III
ahs case anM preparing an answer to
fhe complaint.
This answer will he an exceedingly
strong presentation OF the case from the
commissions Point OF view. 1t will re-
view the history Of the road. set forth
the rates that have been charged on it.
and will show that it is not the fact
that rates are too low. as claimed bnt
road unprosperorls and bankrupt.
This charge will be supported by fig
ures taken from the roads own state
ment. showing that on account of the
excessive rate charged. the people along
The line do not, whenever they can help
it. ratroniZe il. 1t will lie shown thar
the shippers at or near competing points
invariably use the other routes. though
No
Carolina Central From Wadesboro.
Maxton. Mamlet. and Pembroke. for in
stance, cotton is shipped to Wilmington
by way of Florence, $. c., over the
Coast Line. rather than direct over the
Carolina Central. which is about half
the distance Of the Coast Line route.
Tho fertilizers sent back come over
the same long route that the cotton went.
All this because Of the Carolina Cen
trails high rates. and hence the pov-
erty of the road. say the commissioners.
In this same connection. the commits
sion will. in its answer. point ont that
the road runs from the principal sea-
coast city of the State. through the
middle Of its cotton belt. to the extreme
western part Of the State. On its way
it touches at many of the most thriving
towns and cities i'll North Carolina and
iasscs through the centre of Rohes0n.
Richmond. Anson, Union. Mecklenburg
CASTOR. LincoIn and Cleveland counties
The first four are among the richest
agricultural counties in the State and the
last four are dottel all over with COT
ton mills. The first four. with the adj
joining counties. raise the cotton. and
the last four manned manufacture IL.
while factories at Wilmington make
the fertilizers used by the cotton plan
fers along this road.
These. and other facts of 4 like nature.
lead the commission to the conclusion
that Mrs. Matthews. the widow in New
York, who is ostensibly bringing this
sslit. has ground and good ground for
complaint. but that this complaint
should be against the management of
the Carolina Central and not against the
commission. She began with over a
million COLLAR holdings in this road and
now more than three-quarters of it
has been lost. The commission will in
its answer charge that the Carolina
Central is being purposely mismanaged
by the SeabOard in order to build III
the other branches Of the system: that
there is a conspiracy TO freeze out tht
small stockholders. to the end that til;
road may become wholly the property OF
those controlling the ether parts of tn,
system.
In addition to this answer and sup
Elementary to ii. the following letter
To Chairman Mcneil will be filed:
Wilmington. y. g., June 8. 1899.
Hon. Frank Mcneil, Chairman. Raj
eigh. \. G.
Dear Strive were much SURPRISED
10 see by the Raleigh dispatches OF
yesterday that the Scaboard Air Lin;