The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-25
PETITION FOR TEN TONS
THE RAILROADS ARE RESIST
ING THE REDUCTION.
THE COMM SSION WILL DECIDE TODAY
Virginia and South Carolina Have Minimum
Carload Of Ten Tors, While North Caro-
lima Has Fifteen Tons Col. Cunning
ham Gives Startling Figures.


many months the fertilizer rate has been
discussed before the Railroad and Cor
poration Commissions. The matter
came up yesterday on petition of the
farmers of the State-through the Al
lance and the Agricultural Department,
for reduction in the minimum car
load from fifteen to ten tons.
The hearing consumed the entire
morning session, from IL to | o'clock.
No decision, however, was reached, the
Commission reserving its ruling on the
matter until today.
For the Alliance Mr. r. b. Parker,
business agent, appeared. He was ask
ing a minimum carload of ten TONS be-
cause Virginia and South Carolina both
enjoyed it.
In the answer filed by the Southern /
noticed the remark that the carload
tonnage had been increased from 10 to
l5 tons because the rate on fertilizers
was to be reduced IL 2-3 per cent Now
this reduction of 16 % per cent has not
been made"
Hestook the Southern's tariff and read
it, showing that for most places no re-
duction whatever had been made. In
other places it was 2, 4, 8 and in one in
stance II per cent reduction. making on
an average 2 per cent reduction.
''Now this is a discrimination against
the farmer, and when you hurt the far
mer you hurt the whole State / go
further, / viii say that for the harvest
that they will haul in consequence of the
increased use of fertilizers the railroads
could afford to haul fertilizers at the
very lowest rate that they carry anything.
They transport salt cheaper than they
carry fertilizers. And yet when they haul
salt once they are through with it. 1t
produces no harvest of freight to 90
back. The same is true of brick. which
is transported at a much lower rate than
that charged on fertilizers.
'.We ask you in the interest of the far
mer, we ask you in the interest of the
small dealer. to make this reduction.
have known many instances in which the
small dealer has missed sales, because
he could not get up the requisite fifteen
tons of the brand desired. This is hurt
and an injury to the manufacturer as
well as to the farmer. We can buy
fertilizers in Charleston or Norfolk and
get ten-ton rate, whereas if we buy
at Wilmington or Raleigh we have to
buy fifteen tons to get advantage of the
reduced rate"
At the request of the Board of Agri-
culture, its chairman, Col. John $. Cum
ningham, appeared to ask the reduction.
Col Cunningham said he lived near
the Virginia line and there the Virginia
farmer gets his fertilizer $3.50 cheaper
than the North Carolina farmer.
''Take this instance: From Reidsville
to my place, distance of 40 miles, I'm
charged S21 on ten tons of fertilizer,
while from Richmond to Danyile, n dis
lance of al miles, the Virginia farmer
pays only SIS.
IF l buy twenty tons the railroad
gets advantage of the excess, but at the
end of the season if | want six or eight
or ten tons / must pay the singleton
rate.
AT Richmond last week / was told
that the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
has a minimum carload of five tons.
The railroad companies in Virginia
have been more liberal with the people
than the Railroad Commission of North
Carolina have been with the people
for the ten-ton carload in Virginia was
voluntarily gre lted by the roads, while
the fifteen-to carload in North Carolina
was fixed by the Commission.
Major William A. Guthrie said for the
Norfolk and Western Railroad that his
chief objection was that the road used
very large ears and they did not want
to haul partially empty cars.
''As you know, fertilizer is a peculiar
sort of stuff that won't bear mixing
with other goods-groceries, dry goods
and the like It's true it won't hurt
brick, but there are not many such
classes of freight
Col Cunningham called the majors
attention to the fact that the Norfolk
and Western had Il ten-ton rate i'll Nir-
ginia, but in North Carolina it had Il
fifteen-ton rate.
''Well, / didn't think that" replied the
Major. I'm fact j don't know much
about fertilizers anyway
The Atlantic Coast Line was repre-
scented by Mr. r. NJ. Emerson, who said
the fifteen-ton carload was uniform III
all the States except South Carolina and
Virginia, as pointed out by Mr.. Parker.
The railroads are preparing to put
the fifteen-ton minimum in force in
Virginia and in South Carolina the Com
mission has given rs every reason to be-
lieye that for next season it will be
adopted in South Carolina. We hope.
therefore, the North Carolina Commits
sion will not take any action pending
these changes. As the Commission
knows, uniformity is very desirable.
Il contend that it is to the best
interests of the farmers and of all others
that railroads cheaper the cost of trans
portation to themselves. They can then
better and more cheaply serve the pub
lie.
He showed that his road had come
more nearly the 10 % per cent reduction
in rates fnan had the other roacs,
In urging postponement of action by
the Commission, Mr.. Emerson pointed
out that the fertilizer season was about
over and change now would do little