The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-16
WENT TO FIGHT A REDUCTION.
ufT OFFICIALS FOUND COMMISSION
TUnNED TABLES on THEM.

Instead of the Horizontal Cut OF 20
Fer Cent. in cotton Rates, the
Chairman of the Railroad Commits
sion proposed sliding Scale Cut.
This knocked out Arguments and
Changed the Observation-Disclosures
Then Asked Until July - TO Think
over the New PrOposition-Nice
President Egan's Reasons Against
the Commissions Interfering With
the Roads at Present.
Savannah railroad officials and others
Interested in the motion before the State
Railroad Commission for horizontal cut
Of 70 per cent, in cotton rates returned TO
the city yesterday with but lew eXcep-
tons. Some VIII not return until this
morning.
The defeat Of the move was Of such vital
importance to The roads. owing to the
fact ii cut deeply into their revenues. that
every line entering Savannah was rep
resented at Atlanta by its mead oftlcllls.
some of the roads had representatives of
their legal counsel present.
The Central was represented by Vice
President Egan, Traffic Manager I'inton,
General Freight Agent Winburn and Col
A. r. Lawton of counsel; the Georgia and
Alabama was represented by Vice Pres
ident Cecil Gabbett, General Freight Agent
Pope. and Mr.. ". d Charlton of counsel;
the Plant system was represented by
frantic Manager Jack and Mr.. f. G. Cu-
Bignon Of counsel.
Col /. M Trammell, chairman of the
commission, apparently without consulting
his colleagues of the commission, sprung
a surprise by substituting for the horizon
tai 20 per cent. cut motion that whacked
deeply into rates up to distances of 100
miles. The effect of this motion would be
to paralyze the business of small roads, it
is stated which could not operate to any
advantage, so far as hauling cotton goes,
should the proposed reduction so into ef-
feet
Speaking of the motion in the paper he
read on the subject. Chairman Trammeii
said the rate provided for in his substitute
was a reduction of present rates % per
cent. for distances up to 100 miles, % per
cent 10 fifty miles, and a scale from 10 to
10 per cent. between 50 and 100 miles. He
said it would not injure, but would rather
benefit the manufacturing interests. 1t will
give to the planter. he said a rate that
VIII enable him to market his COTTON by
rail on short haul. 1t will also beneht
the roads instead of injuTing them, he SAID,
by increasing their revenues out OF busl-
ness which now finds its way to market
by wagon transportation.
The returning officials say all present
were taken by surprise, in view OF tne
fact they went to Atlanta TO meet the
motion for a % per cent. cut, against
which they had prepared lengthy papers
When the chairman turned the issue 10
a sliding scale reduction, concerning which
the other members Of the commission SAID
they had heard nothing, it was all up
with those who were there to protest
Like a phantom, the original motion DIS
appeared and the sliding scale took us
place That settled it SO far as the OIL
Gals were concerned, and after a brief
conference, they asked through their
spokesman, for a pOstponement to con-
slider the matter and determine how 1t Is
TO affect their respective lines. Inc re-
quest was granted. and on July q the
motion Will again be called up for con-
sideration. Meantime, it is said, the small
Ter roads, upon whom the burden of the
fight now rests, will file their arguments
in the case.
From figures which were submitted be-
fore the commission the cut OF 70 per
cent would have had a tremendous effect
on the income of all leading lines. 1t is
stated it would have cost the Central
from $4,000 to Sl00,OO0 a year, the Plant
System $4,000, and the Georgia and Ala
bama $4,000 a year.
Vice President Egan of the Central sub
mitted strong argument, in which he
went exhaustively into the details of the
situation and the effects the cut would
have on the Central Mr.. Egan touched
on the reductions which have been made
in cotton rates during the past few years,
showing thereby the tendency to make
rates conform TO prevailing conditions. He
spoke of legislation which win require the
Central and other lines to equip its roll
ing stock used for interstate traffic after
Jan. ] 1899 with automatic brakes and
cuplers He estimated this will cost the
Central $267 sos. The point Mr.. Egan
made was that the roads required protec-
ton in view of the large expenditures this
LEGISLATION will entail upon them.
Referring to the lessening of business,
Mr. Egan included comparative state
ment in his paper, which says that during
the period OF cotton shipments from Sept.
]. 1897, 10 April 3d. 1895 compared with
shipments during the same period in 1899
the revenue derived from freight traffic
alone over the entire line of the Central of
Georgia Railroad was Sl15, $50 "a less In 1899
than it was in 1898.
General interest is felt In the prospective
outcome of the matter. While the fight has
been shifted more 10 the short lines, it is
not likely the interest the large lines have
taken in 1t will be abated until there is a
final settlement.