The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-10-16
MANY OBJECTIONS FILED
It May be Adopted With an Exeep-
ton Sheet,
BOTH SIDES WILL HAVE A HEARING
II is Said That the Proposed Rate Discriminates
Against the South to a Great Extent. Com
parison of Rates 10 Atlanta and
81,
Chicago From N. Y.

The Corporation Commission will hold
an important meeting next Thursday, DC
tober 18th. The matter to come before
the body at that time is the consideration
of Southern Freight classification Number
81. 1t is expected that there will be
representatives of the three railroad sys-
TENS of the State. on one side, and repre-
sentatives of various business interests
of the State on the other.
This matter was brought up at the last
meeting of the Commission by the j. l..
Borden Furniture Company, and other
North Carolina firms, and the Merchants
Association of New York. Both sides
were heard and the Commission took the
matter under advisement and will render
a decision next Thursday.
1t is said that they will either adopt
the classification No. q with an excep-
ton sheet for North Carolina, or con-
tinue classification No. %.
The roads nave made an effort to have
the consideration of the matter con-
tinued, but it is thought the commission
will decide one way or another.
The new classification which went into
effect June 1st. 1900. reduces the rate in
some instances, and increases it in others.
Mr.. Emerson, of the Atlantic Coast Line,
at the September meeting Of the Commits
sion, admitted that the average increase
was greater han the average decrease,
but commended that changes would be
promptly made in any instance where it
was found that the rate proposed was
unjust.
cJ1 -
mission, the charges are openly made
that the Southern rates are IN excess of
those to other parts of the country. The
difference is shown by the following
parallel taken from the protest of the
Merchants Association of New York:
Rates from New York to Atlanta-First-
class, LA; second-class, 90; third-class,
sc; fourth-class, IS.
Rates from New York to Chicago
First-class, 10; second-class, Go; third
class, so; fourth-class, 80.
A firm that manufactures shot, bar lead
and lead sinkers, says: "The rate pro-
posed makes it almost prohibitive as the
price of shot is figured so close to the
price Of pig lead. If the design is to
prevent the sale of shot by northern firms,
we know of nc more effective way
In August there was a convention of
Southern Railway Commissioners at
Lookout Mountain.
They met for the purpose of considering
the best steps to take to relieve the
States which they represented from the
unfavorable and repressive conditions IN
der which they have been and still con-
tinue to be laboring with regard to rail
road Transportation.
These disadvantages are:
First-Inequalities between rates Of
freight from competing and producing
points to consuming points.
Second-Want of uniformity and reason
ableness in classification.
Third-A nigh scale of rates on business
generally interchanged between neighbour
ing States compared with rates from large
distributing centers to these States.
Fourth-The absence of a system O.
Joint tariffs for such interchange as will
remove the disadvantages.
This convention after considering the
matter of adopting the classification No
u, passed the following resolution:
Until a permanent organization i:
formed, it will be impossible to arrive a
a correct basis for settling the matter o
uniform classification, and We, therefore
recommend that the commissioners of thu
several States in this territory advise AM
request the commissioners of their respec
tive States to iOin in the adoption o
Southeastern classification No. 25, in eff
feet October list, 1899, as the official classi
fication of their States or commissions, t,
be used as such, until such time as tn,
committee on classification Of the pcrma
nent organization can, or does recommend
a classification acceptable to the associa
JlOn. We that the commits
sloners joining in this organization, SO ia
as 1t lies within their power, emphaticall,
express their refusal to- adopt. or in an.
way recognize, the use of classification
known as Southern Freight Classifica
ton, No. 81 and that they will use al
proper means to have the State commits
sions of which they are members, adop
this course"