The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-01
MULLET ROAD HEARING
EVIDENCE AS TO THE physical C0VDl-
TON OF THE ROAD.
Witnesses Testified that the Roadbed is Good,
the Equipment Poor and The Bust
ness Increasing.

Another hearing was given yesterday
afternoon on the bill proposing the sale
of the Atlantic and North Carolina rail
road, this time before the Committees on
Corporations of the Senate and House
in Joint session.
The afternoon was largely taken up
with testimony introduced by advocates
of the sale to show that the condition
of the railroad property is bad. The
committee took no action on the bill.
Messrs. G.. NJ. Busbee. ID. T.. McIver.
of Sanford, and r. L. Gray. appeared
for the bill and Messrs. f. w. Pou and
4. ID. Ward against the bill
Mr.. Busbee said he had never before
heard an opinion adverse to selling. The
road had always been foot ball off
politics. 1t was the duty of the Legis-
lature to give the people of central and
Western North Carolina the benefit of
better railroad facilities. To take the
road ont of politics would be of benefit
to the private stock holders: in any case
the private stockholders would control
the meeting of stockholders.
Mr.. Council: What would be the in
crease in taxable property by the build
ing of the extension?
Mr.. Busbee: | could not say exactly.
Mr. Ward: Do you know of any
private stockholders who want the State
to sell!
Mr.. Busbee: / do not know of any;
have not inquired.
| Mr.. Busbee said the only men opposing
the sale were those favorable to Mr.
Bryan for the presidency of the road,
and to other corporations whose inter-
ests might be effected.
Several gentlemen were introduced TO
show the condition of the road Mr.
King, of Goldsboro said he had run on
the Atlantic and North Carolina road
as an engineer Three new engines had
been bought in the last three years.
They had five engines bought since 1888,
and four old engines that We're pretty
well worn out. The FIVE engines were
not sufficient to do the work of the road.
The road has about two trains of cars
that are fit for use: the others are unfit.
The shops were poorly equipped and
there was no modern machinery. Four
of the bridges were fairly good: none
were iron bridges. The bridge near
Goldsboro was unsafe. The roadxbed
was the best in North Carolina The
rails were rather light. The trains make
about % miles an hour
Mr.. Ward: What are the five new
engines worth?
Mr. King: About $4,000.
What are the two trains worth?
about $4,000"
"How many freight cars does the road
own?"
about 100."
rs not the Newbern terminal worth
$50,0O0?"
Il do not know"
Mr.. Lamb said he lived in Goldsboro
! The coaches as a rule were poor. The
coaches of the regular train were good.
\ new bridge was needed at Trent river.
The majority of the depots were poor
and in many places there were none at
all. If parallel line were built it would
ruin the road. He understood it to be
the purpose of the Coast Line to build
a link from Newbern to Kinston. Ii so
it would get most of the fish and truck
ing business. The general physical con-
dition of the road was not very good.
Business was increasing and there were
not facilities to handle it.
Twenty dollars had been the standing
He had heard lots of private stockhold-
ers say that they thought the State
should sell. He had bought his stock for
SIS and sold for $40.
Capt. Newsome said he had been in
the railroad business for 20 years. The
road bed was fair, the rolling stock
poor. To put the road in first-class con-
dition would require about $4,000.
The Coast Line would more likely fight
the State than another corporation. The
condition of the road had been CON
stantly improving since Mr.. Chadwick
first took charge. TO build the extension
of 100 miles as proposed would cost
about $4,000 mile.
Mr.. Borden said he was cashier of the
Bank Of Goldsboro. The value of the
stock of the road had ranged from $3.50
TO SO. The stock had gone up CON
stantiy for several years. The private
stockholders rather favored the sale OF
the road
After the testimony was completed.
Mr.. Il. Il. Gray spoke briefly in favor
of the sale of the road. taking the
ground that the increase of the taxable
property of the State was strong con-
sideration for the sale.
Mr. ID. L. McIver, of Sanford. spoke
in favor of the sale on the ground that
the development of the interests of
Eastern North Carolina by giving to
that section an outlet for its products
to q section of country which can now
be reached only over three lines of
roads would be of great benefit to that
section. This section now buys from
Virginia instead of Eastern Carolina,
because of the freight rates.
He also called attention to the assur-
ance given by Col. Julian $. Carr that
the extension would be built and urged
that no proposition which did not include
the extension should be considered.
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