The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-26
RAILROAD FREIGHT DISCRIMI
NATION.

NAHUM.
The Charlotte business men are NOV
ing along the light line in exposing and
protesting against the determinations
which railroads practice against North
possible to buih up large wholesale
houses in North Carolina IL the cities of
this State do not enjoy equal advantages
in the way of freight rates with Vir-
ginia or South Carolina cities? Here is
some of the testimony taken before the
State Commission in Charlotte:
MIR. ]. l.. Chambers. of the Liddell
Company, foundrynen and manufactur-
ers Of boilers and machinery, testified as
to the inability of his firm to compete
with Lynchburg, Richmond, etc, in this
territory on machinery, and stated that
the Southern Railway charge on pig
iron from Birmingham to Charlotte was
s2.75 per ton. this being the same as to
Lynchburg, Richmond. ETC., although the
distance is less by :O7 miles than to
Lynchburg.
mr. J. IT. Wellington of the firm of
j. II. Weddington & Company, whole
sale and retail dealers in hardware, Of
fered in testimony rates from various
Western and Northwestern points,
showing that the rates Oh his goods to
Charlotte are in many cases double and
frequently more than double, the rates
to Lynchburg, ETC., and testified that he
could not sell in competition with these
Virginia cities at points contiguous to
Charlotte and in territorY that Char
lotte had every reason to expect to COM
pete successfully with the more distant
cities of Lynchburg, Richmond, Nor
folk, etc.
''Mr. E. A. Smith, president of the
Chadwick Manufacturing Company.
manufacturers of cotton gods, testified
that the rate on cotton mill machinery
from Boston, Mass, and points taking
the Boston rate, was, to Lynchburg, all
rail, 81 cents; to Charlotte, all rail, IL
cents per 100 pounds; on manufactured
goods from Lynchburg to Now York, %
cents, and from Charlotte, 46 cents.
as. F. King, of the Dowd & King Sup
ply Company, testified as to the effect
on their business of the rates from
Pittsburg, Pa, which are about double
to Charlotte the rates to Lynchburg,
and also that he is charged on pig iron
from Birminghom the sare as to
Lynchburg, Richmond and Norfolk, viz,
S2.75 per ton and in shipping to territory
south of Atlanta he is charged the same
rates as obtained from Lynchburg,
Richmond and Norfolk.
''Mr C. K Messck, of the firm Of A..
F. Messick & Company, wholesale
grocers. testified that his firm had found
it necessary to open a branch house at
Richmond in order to compete in this
territory with Lynchburg, Richmond
and Norfolk
The North Carolina Senators ought to
thoroughly post themselves and lead the
fight this winter to enact the amend
ments proposed by the Commission to
the Inter-State Commerce &C mmission
law, to the end that power may be given
to the Commission to put an end to such
unjust Determinations against the bust
ness ana MANUFACTURING interests OF
North Carolina. Talk about tariff tax
and its burdens upon consumers. The
discriminative railroad rates have done
more TO dwarf North Carolina towns aud
make this State tributary to Virginia
and thereby cause people to pay more
unjust taxes than all the tariff laws
that have been enacted.
If there is no way to end this discrir:i-
nation against Charlotte, Raleigh,
Greensboro and other large towns q way
ought to be devised. When a Charlotte
business man testif1es that he has been
compelled to open "a branch house at
Richmond in order to compete in this
territory with Lynchburg. Richmond and
Norfolk there can be no doubt about
the injurious effect of discrimination in
rates against North Carolina.