Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-12
Bulk OF Business Justifies the
Differences in Rates.
FREIGHT AGENTS TESTIFY
Interesting Proceedings Before the Inter.
state Commerce Commission YeSter-
day. Emerson, Culp. and Clio.
YER on the Stand.
(Ry Topography

1
ing OF the Charleston rate case was con-
tinucl before the Interstate Commerce
| Commission.
The Charleston bureau called as wit
! neSses William Campbell, general
freight agent of the Chicago and East
ern Illinois Railway, and l.. A. EN-
! erson. general freight agent of the
Southern Railway. in charge of the
Charleston route. The witnesses OF the
defendant carriers We're Fl. w. -.
Glover. OF Richmond. traffic manager
. nf the Seaboard Air Line and J. NJ.
! Culp. of Washington, traffic manager CT
the Southern Railway.
! SOUTHERN BUST NESS SMALL
When MIR. Campbell was asked the
attitude of his road to the Southern rate
question, he replied that their business
With points south OF Ohio was 50 small
that it had not commanded much at
tenton He thought that the rates as
they stood were low enough and he did
not see much use in reducing them.
| At this point Mr.. Bryan produced a
| letter written by Mr.. Campbell in
| March. 1898. in which he characterized
the rates charged by the roads South
of the Ohio as eXorbitant and inimic;l to
the business interests of the South
THE EPISTI4E.
The letter said, in part.
TO my mind, the information YOU
furnish points conclusively to the fact
that the direct roads from this terri
tory are losing business which should
accrue to them. AS 4 matter OF
fact, I believe you will agree with me
that the rates charged south of the ri
YER. as Il rule, are eNorbitant, and act
as barrier TO the Interchange of pro-
lducts between the West and the South
| Undoubtedly, if the Southern roads
would open UP and show the same spirit
to productive industries as is shown by
our road and the roads of the North
west, the spirit of industry would be
stimulated and the Southern roads in
| the end. would be benefited
AS / stated some months ago, I will ia
vor the proposition Of reduced rates 10
Charleston. and run the risk of being
charged With grossly discriminating
against intermediate and interior
| points"
| a WRONG IMPRESSION.
Mr.. Campbell fastened TO say that
this letter conveyed wrong impression;
that he knew nothing of the rates south
OF the Ohio except through complaints
that had been made tn him through Ger
tain shippers. He did not know how
he came to sign such a letter as the one
produced by Mr.. Bryan, except in the
| press of signing q large mail at the end
OF hard days work. when he had not
| time TO check the errors of his steno-
grapher. He said he had never heard
Of such proposition as that advanced
by Mr.. Fulton to prO-rate the through
tariff to the southeast coast points and
thus reduce the rate. AS he under
stood the proposition, it had been to re-
adjust the division of profits between
! the roads north of the Ohio and those
south of it, not to reduce the rates
| WANTED a LARGER SHARE.
Commissioners Clements examined The
witness with some asperity as to the
! difference between his oral testimony
ana his letter but Mr.. Campbell insist
! ed that his only object was to get a
for his own road.
| General Freight Agent Emerson, of
| the Southern Railway, was questioned
! by Commissioner Calhoun to find why
his road moved grain for ocean freights
| from the West through to Charleston at
| from eleven to sixteen cents and at the
| same time charged as high as thirty
two cents on the same grain delivered
| as inland freight at Charleston Mr.
Emerson claimed that this foreign
bound grain was handled at an actual
| loss. but that the road used it as a
lower hold cargo to help them make
rates in loading cotton for exports.
! BULK OF BUSINESS JUSTIFTDS.
Commissioner Prouty also asked on
what principle witness justified TWEEN
ty-seven cent freight from Kansas
| City to Norfolk and charged forty
seven in the same class to Charles
ton. Witness said that the rate at
! Norfolk probably had been reduced by
! the greater bulk of business and tho
competition with the Northern trunk
| lines.
Mr.. Bryan made the point that the
Southern, running through both
Norfolk and Charleston ought to be abb.
| TO quote rates on the same mileage bn-
| sis to each.
IT. w. 3. Glover, of the Seaboard.
said that all rail rates from the West
were fair enough, because they were
lower than any competing form OF land
transportation. In support Of this. he
demonstrated at some length that
freight hauled by wagon from Chicago
TO Charleston would cost at least $3.50
per hundred weight. This, he said, was
fair argument. He said that if rates
| to Charleston were lowered to the level
OF Norfolk it probably would result in
handling an increased tonnage at
Charleston, but whether or not the rail-
roads would benefit in revenue was pro-
Iblematic. Natural conditions of popu-
| laton wealth and prdductjvanass ba