The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-23
,0MPETlrION NOT LESSENED.
,,>TnAL RAILROADS ANSWER IN
THE EATONTON CASE.

,,,,d. That the Middle Georgia
~ atlantic Was Only n Branch
line aud That No Competition
worth, OF the Name Existed Be
s.., tbe requirement of the Road
H., the CentraI-Instead of Being
,,,i,re,I by the Purchase the Peo-
.5a of EatontOn, COvinGtOn and
,,,tI.dreviIIe Have been Greatly
u,,cGtted and Many of the Mer-
Chants of These Places Have Given
,gidnVftS to This Effect.
The case Of the state of Georgia against
a.. Central Of Georgia Railway Company,
..,rr5og Il with violation of the section
1 n the constitution relating to the lessen
IA, of competition by acquiring the Mid
n. Cearsfa and Atlantic Railroad, viii DE
reued n Atlanta Monday before Judge
bart If the Ocmulgee circuit The case
,ss ordered brought by Gov. Gambler at
ba instance of certain citizens of Eaton
nm who claimed that that town had been
nrIfou and a monopoly obtained by the
central Railroad in its purchase of the
'rlae Georgia and Atlantic.
The hearing is held in Atlanta for the
Convenience of the court, and all the par
rs concerned. The case is OF unusual in
tlrest. because it is the first time that an
effort has been made to test the paragraph
LOT The constitution referred to- notwith-
st9nIing the constitution has been in force
since 1877. There will be quite an array of
distinguished counsel on each side. The
Central Railroad viii be represented by
Col A. r. Iawton of Savannah Hon. Jo-
seph r. Lamar of Augusta, Hon. T. G.
lawson Of Eatonton and Hon. II. A. Jen-
kn- Of Eatonton. Mr.. Jenkins is an ex-
speaker of the state House of Representa-
lives. and Mr.. Lawson an congressman
nom the Eighth district
Attorney General Terrell, who brought
the suit by the direction of the Governor,
Will be leading counsel for the state. He
will be assisted by W. f. jenkins & Son,
Joseph S. Turner. chairman of the state
prison commission, and Mr. Winfield all
Of E3touton, and Mr.. Burwell of Sparta.
These gentlemen were attorneys for the
citizens of Eatonton who petitioned the
Governor to bring the suit, and were or
dered by Gov. Gambler to assist the state
without charge.
The charges made against the Central
Of violation of the constitution by the
parties bringing the suit have already
been published in fun In the Morning
News. The answer of the Central Rail
road was filed at Eatonton about ten days
ago.
Col. LaWton was asked yesterday for a
statement of the position of the Central.
as given in it's answer. He said: The
answer denies that competition in the
proper sense of the term existed at Ea-
mnlou or elsewhere on the line of road
previous to the purchase of the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic by the Central, and
asserts that the Middle Georgia and At
anuc was a feeder and a branch road,
hjher than competing line Previous
20 It's requirement by the Central the
Middle Georgia and Atlantic touched the
Central at but two places, Machen and
Adadsevile AT Macheu, a small station
On be Macon and Northeastern branch
G the Central there was practically no
competition At Milledgeville there was no
actual competition The Middle Georgia
ana Atlantic and the Georgia were united
ia hsntng the Central, and now the Cen
nal and Middle Georgia are united in
as1tins the Georgia"
The general effect of the purchase has
oeen TO decrease rates At Eatonton alone
taere has been a saving of $4,000 a year
ID ireights and al other points in the same
poporton At Covington there was no
competition before the purchase. as the
Aahle Georgia and Atlantic, on account
u IFS traffic arrangement, did not COM
Pr'e win the Georgia. Now there is the
IIoS' active competition at that point be-
tween the Georgia and the Central Pre-
1ious TO the purchase the road was in
1ePofdole condition and unsafe for trav-
:" IL mad five wrecks in one week and
roui 1he next. 1t had no rolling stock
aus financial condition was bad, and the
S'"'e was suing it for penalties for not
Aeeping the road in order, and the COM
paNy did not have the money to put the
!oad III order. Now the roadbed is in first
e'sS condition, and there is ample rolling
s.o-A. Inc fact of the situation is that
Ie Middle Georgia and Atlantic could
tol I'VE as an independent road 1t was
o'u4erly allied with the Georgia to get
a H'ing, IN which it failed, and it has
uoW become allied with the Central The
s "li" service has been improved, freight
anu passenger rates have been lowered
new depots have been built. and the serv.
re improved in all respects. In no case
ras Ihe rates been increased and in no
..SP7et mas the alleged defeat of compe-
g1''I resulted in any injury to the pub
~, me Central has not undertaken to
s5eat competition, and is not seeking a
ne attorneys for the Central have ac-
rU'Ii ulat TED a volumnous mass of affda-
f"s. which will be filed to-day as evil
s,,' These affidavits are from the Of
and directors of the old Middle
ugorgia and Atlantic, giving the clrcurn-
trl ICES which led to the sale to the Cen
t +li rom all the merchants of Covington.
living TO the good results 70 that city.
80. In nearly all the merchants at the To-
,r 4' stations along the road, from about
t"guly merchants of Milledgeville. testi-
t s3,, 70 the benefits resulting to that
my, "',p from practically all the business
~ OF Eatonton, with the exception of
NV I'VE or six who signed the petition to
~ ,IoFernor UNFOLDING the contention of
NJ, ehlral that the requirement Of the
q 'i..'Ie Georgia and Atlantic has proven
r. ,''en ut instead of an injury to the town.
MY answer and the affidavts evidently
ne up strong case for the Central.
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