Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-28
Complainant Before Interstate
Commerce Commission.
AGAINST SO. RY. AND OTHERS
Freight Kate DlscrI Mutation In Favor of
lynchburS aud Richmond. an,i
against nAnvilir. Charged.
Argument IL Heard,
rs '!'..l"ginph.)

. WASfllNC;TUN. Oct. 27.-rlc com
paint u the city Of Janvillc. VA,
against III" Southern and other rail
ROAD companies VAS argued before. IN,
l'lo'F-S'a'. commerce commission To-
day. Mr.. Holmes Conrad appearing for
lhe city am. Mr.. Edward Baxter for the
railroad companies.
SCOPE, OF CHARGES.
MI Conrad said. in his presentation
OF The charges. that they We're those.
bur" ANA Richmond against Danvilie
and included not only freights to Dan
vile and the other points. but out going
rates as Well. the latter item including
especially the rates on tobacco to
Louisville The specific allegation was
that higher rates We're charged from
other points to Danville than were
charged from these same points to
LynchburG and Richmond. notwith-
standing the haul to Danvile is the
shorter.
UNDUE INTERFERE
This he characterized as an undue
and understandable preference. He pre-
scented i table to show that while the
distance I" l.ynchburg was 66 miles
greater from points in the New Eng
land and Middle States than To Dan
willie there was Il preference in favor
of Lvnchburg OF II cents per hundred
on first class frcights and Il CORES
ponding preference on all other classes
OF freight \ difference of II cents on
western tour and of l6 cents on leaf
tobacco to Louisville.
NJ II. EANTI.R'S CONTENTION.
Replying. Mr.. Baxter admitted that
the l-ynchburg and Richmond rates
were lower than those to Danville but
he denied that they We're made under
substantially similar conditions. His
contention was to the effect that the
rates to ISnchburg and Richmond had
seen made TO meet the figures OF lines
which We're in existence When the
southern road entered the field and he
quoted numerous old schedules. some
Of Them going back as far as 1873 to
show that the rates to Lynchburg had
from that time been lower than those
to Danville. The Southern road had
neither reduced nor increased rates and
could not be held responsible. for the
tariffs imposed.
PRINCIPLE, INVOLVED.
e the question involved Danvile
only there might be an easy adjust
nrnt. but il involved a principle and,
therefore. the change could not lie con-
coded This principle was the right to
make lower rates Where there wa.
competition than where there vas not
line Of the road the distance to Lynch
burg was less than that 70 Danvill,.
and cnntended that this being the cas-
the rate To Lynchhurg from Norfolk
over The Norfolk line must be the same
as that over the Washington line not
understanding on the Norfolk line the
distance to DaNville was less
MIR. COERAD'S REPLY
IN his rejoiner, Mr.. Conrad said that
in opposition to the showing Of old
schedules the testimony of many wit
Eesses made it plain that the Danville
rates had been increased since 1856
when the southern Company had ac-
uuirea the lines running into Danville
ana ne r"ntended chat the discrimina-
ton had been So great as to SAP .hs. lirt,
blood of that city. Merchants from
Eichnond and Lynchburg had been
able 10 sell goods under TIE Very
shadow of the houses in Danville, the
result being that Danville merchants
were driven out of the business.