The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-04
MUCH ADO ABOUT
A SMALL MATTER
The Carolina Central Hear
ing Drags On.
ONLY $1,000 INVOLVED
WHILE THE ROADS ANNUAL
EARNINGS ARE 100000.
EXPRESS TAX CASE SETTLED AMICABLY
Company viii Pay 2 Per Cent Tax on Gross
Earnings and an Adyaorem TAI on $780,
900 of Property in This State. Hear
ing as to Freights on Paper.
ing as to Freights on Paper.

ing as 10 frelgntS on Taper'
The hearing in the fertilizer rate case
of the Carolina Central went on before
Special Master Martin all day yesterday
and last night until 10 O'Clock, with an
interruption from / to 8 for the Corpora
ton Commission to hold a session.
The hearing was extremely tedious,
but taken by far and large was rather
amusing Notwithstanding. The whole
amount i'll controversy, that is the
amount of revenue the proposed reduc-
tion of the fertilizer rate would cut OFF
from the road, is less than $1,000, while
the total earnings of the road are an
nually in excess of 100000. The Cor
poration Commission court room however
was chock full of lawyers and witnesses
and it is seldom that every point of a
case is so stubbornly contested.
The lawyers were in n scrapping hui
: NOR and it was no very unusual thing
for them to all be on their feet at the
same time, some addressing the Special
Master, some exchanging spicy compli-
ments and some asking the stenographers
to tell them what the starting point of
the rumpus really was.
The first difference of opinion came
while Mr.. III. w Il. Glover, traffic man
ager for the Seaboard, was on the stand.
Mr.. G.. NJ. Busbee was conducting the
croSs-eXamination and asked Mr. Glover
if he would not produce a reply that, he
(AIr. Glover had made to a letter of
President Taylor written from Whining
ton ON the 9th of August, 1899. Coun-
sci for the road at once objected that
the Taylor letter was not in evidence,
and had not been offered or identified.
Mr.. Busbee asked Mr.. Glover if he
would not produce the letter. Mr.. Glov
err replied that he would if ordered by
the Special Master, otherwise he would
use his Town sweet will" The Special
Master declined to order it produced.
Mr.. Busbee excepted and wanted Mir.
Glover's answer made "a part of the
record. Counsel for the road objected
and one by one the attorneys rose to
take hand and the discussion flew far
and wide. Counsel for the State said
the answer ought to go in, it showed
the bearing of witness. Counsel for the
road said it WAS the testimony of Wit
nesses not his bearing that was impor-
tant. Then they got off all in a bunch
had really said:
The stenographer: 'He said in his
own good time"
Mr.. Busbee: 'He said he'd do as he
pleased about it."
Mr.. Glover: Not just that
Major Shaw: He said he would If
the Master ordered him to-"
Mr.. Battle: He said more than that"
Captain Day: 81 think this has be-
come a talking bee instead of a session
to hear evidence"
Mr.. Pou: Il think the witness said
he would use his own sweet will
The witness admitted that he had ex-
pressed such sentiments and the discus
sion switched back to the admissibility
Of the letter as evidence.
Mr.. Busbee: will you please examine
your files and furnish the original letter
to the MasterY
Captain Day: 1--WE won't furnish you
anything"
Mr.. Busbee: Eve are aware You
won't furnish us anything, not even in
formation as to your road. / said fur
nish the Master, not u.s."
Captain Day: 'TThe trouble is you fell
lows think there is nobody but us in
there are two sides"
When the Special Master got the at
torneys down to business it was finally
ordered that Mr.. Glover produce the let
ter by January 10.
After the evidence of Mr.. Glover was
completed the State produced its Wit
nesses. Those summoned We're: Fred
Oliver, Jesse Spencer, J. A. Durham, NJ.
c. Myer, John K. Ross and j. X. Wolfe,
of Charlotte; Peter McRae, W. H. Nc
Laurin and Hector Mclean, of Laurin-
burg; w. j. Everett. of Rockingham; A.
c. Miller, of Shelby; d. Boyd Kimball,
of Maxton; ]. A. Taylor and III. G.
Smallbones, of Wilmington.
The witnesses examined for the State
yesterday were Mr. Smith, of Smith and
Gilcrist, Wilmington; Mr.. H. G. Small
bones, manager of the Clyde Line, Will
mington; Mr. Fred Oliver, of Charlotte,
and Mr.. NJ. C.. Myer, of Charlotte.
All these witnesses were examined at
great length as to the shipping of fer
tilizers, tonnage, methods of shipment.
earnings of the road and alleged subor-
dination of the interests of the Carolina
Central to the Seaboard system.
A sharp discussion was precipitated in
the afternoon by Mr.. Pou, of counsel for
the State, asking that the affidavit of
Treasurer Sharpe as to the value of the
Carolina Central be put in evidence. Mr..
Pou said that in the tax case Treasurer
Sharp had made an affidavit that 81
100000 was the full value of the road,
and that S1,S00,000 was a fair taxable
value, in the fertilizer rate case the road
claimed that it was entitled to earn 6
~
the former affidavit be admitted as evil
dence. Counsel for the road objected and
the objection was sustained
The court adjourned at 10 o'clock last
night to meet at 10 this morning when
State will be continued.
Jl1doa Shenhprd ~ NJ Puchaa JampS