The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-07-12
LETTER ASKED LOW RATES
HE NOW DECLARES 1T A MIS-
TAKE OF STENOGRAPHER
DISCRIMINATION IN FAVOR OF NORFOLK
Mr.. Prouly Said the Lower Freight Rates to
that City Were Ob!ained Through its
Doing Larger Business
than Charleston.

Washington. July 1.-THE hearing OF
the Charleston rate case was continued
before the Interstate Commission to-
day. The Charleston Bureau called as
witnesses William Campbell, General
Freight Agent of the Chicago and East
ern Illinois Railway, and L. A. EN-
merson. General Freight Agent of the
Southern Railway i'll charge of the
Charleston route. The witnesses of the
defendant carriers We're FL. w. +.
Glover. of Richmond. Traffic Manager
of the Seaboard Airline, and j. NJ.
Culp. of Washington. Traffic Manager,
of the Southern Railway.
When Mr. Campbell was asked the at
titude of his road to the Southern rate
question, he replied that the business
south of the Ohio was SO small that 1t
had not commanded much attention. He
Thought the rates as they stood were
low enough and he did not see much
use in reducing them.
At this Mr.. Bryan produced letter
written by Mr.. Campbell in March, 1893,
to the Charleston Bureau of Freight
and Transportation. in which he char
acterized rates charged by the roads
south of the Ohio as eXorbitant ana
inimical to the business interests of the
South. The letter said in part:
ITO my mind the information You
furnish points conclusively to the fact
Z that the direct roads from this terri
tory are losing business which should
accrue to them.
As a matter of fact | believe you will
agree with me that the rates charged
south of the river as a rule. are eXhorbi-
tant and act as a barrier to the inter
change of products between the West
and South. Undoubtedly If the South
ern roads would open UP and show the
same spirit to productive industries as
is shown by our road and the roads OF
the Northwest. the spirit of industry
would be stimulated and the Southern
roads in the end would be benefited.
As ] stated some months ago,
/ will favor the proposition OF reduced
rates to Charleston and run the risk
of being charged with grossly iiscl1mi-
mating against intermediate and interior
Hoints."
Mr.. Campbell hastened to say that this
letter conveyed "A wrong impression.
that he knew nothing about the rates
SbtiH VI iHt oIlo. except jnTOugu cibllf-
plants that had been made to him
through certain shippers. He did NOT
know how he came to sign such a let
ter as the one produced by Mr.. Bryan
except in the press of signing a large
mail at the end of hard days work
when he had not time to check the en-
rors of his sten0grapher. He said that
he never heard of such a proposition as
. that advanced yosqterdox, lx, NJ, III
ton to pro-rate the through tariff to
southeast coast POINTS and thus reduce
the rates. As he understood the propo-
sition it had been to re-adi,Ist the diyis-
ion of profits between the roads north
Of the Ohio and those south Of it. not to
reduce the rates.
Commissioner Clements examined the
witness with some asperiay MS 10 the
:. difference between his oral testimony
and his letter. but Mr.. Campbell insis-
ted that his only object had been to
get if possible IL larger share of the
pro-rated charges for his own road
General Freight Agent Emmerson, OF
the Southern, was questioned by Com
missioner Calhoune to find why his
road moved grain for ocean freight from
the West through Charleston at from
eleven to sixteen cents and at the same
time charged as high as fhirty-two cents
ON the same grain delivered as inland
freight at Charleston. Mr.. Enmerson
clailned THAT this foreign grain was
handled at an actual loss. out tnat the
road used it as Il lower hold cargo to
help them make rates in loading cotton
for export.
Commissioner Promy also asked ON
what principle witness justified a twenty
seven cent freight from Kansas City to
Norfolk and charged forry-seven in the
same class To Charleston Witness said
fhat the rate at Norfolk probably had
been reduced by the greater bulk Of
business and the competition with the
Northern Trunk lines.
Mr. Bryan made the point that the
Southern. running through both Norfolk
and Charleston ought to be able 10
quote rates on the same mileage basis
To each
III. w. i. Glover. of the Seaboard,
said that the all-rail rates from the
west We're fair enough because they
were lower than any competing form oi
land transportation. In support OF this
he demonstrated ut some length tlaa
freight mauled by wagon from Chicago
To Charleston would cost at least ST.. 10
per hundred weight This. ne said. was
fair argument. He said that if rates
to Charleston were lowered TO the level