The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-18
REASON FOR LEGISLATION
Says That Manufs cturers and Mer
chants Favor His Bill.
RAILROAD SIDE OF QUESTION Is HEARD
Mr.. Em.rson and hers Contested That The Bill
Will Work an unnecessary Hardship
. Upon Then---3ill May be
Amended.

Mr.. ]. Ernest Erwin's bill consumed
the whole afternoon yesterday before the
Railroad Committee of the House. The
hearing was in the rooms of the Corpora
tion Commission which were crowded.
In addition to Mr.. Henry w. Miller, who,
Ike the poor. is always with us when
any railroad legislation is being dis
cussed. these railroad officials We're
present in opposition to Mr.. Erwin's bill:
Mr.. l.. T. Nichols, G. NJ. Carolina and
Northwestern Railroad; j. j. Hooper,
Claim Agent Southern Railway Com
pany; II. NJ. Emerson, Traffic Manager
Atlantic Coast Line; w. A. Barber, Pres
iGent Carolina and Northwestern Rail-
road j. d. Shaw, Attorney Seaboard Air
Line: E. f. Reid and Carolina and North
western.
After long discussion, which was at
times full of ginger and always inter-
estng, Chairman Abel referred it to a
subcommittee composed of Judge Ora
ham, Mr.. Murphy, of Rowan, and Mr.
Morton. of New Hanover. Mr. Erwin
objected to the personnel of the commit
tee on the ground that both Mr.. Morton
and Mr.. Murphy were opposed to the
- but this objection did not cause the
chairman to change it.
When the cCmmitte was called to order,
Mr.. Erwin read his bill against any dis
elimination in rates, providing that the
persons overcharged may file written
demand for the payment of the same,
which shall be paid within thirty days.
under penalty of $50 for the first day and
S25 for every other day. 1t also provides
PENALTY for any freight that so detained
longer than forty-eight hours. or that is
held on the road forty-eight hours after
shipment It is also made unlawful for
any railroad to confiscate coal or wood
without notice. Penalties are provided.
In advocacy of this bill Mr. Erwin
stated that corporations had grown and
laws must be changed to meet the
changed conditions. Carrying companies
have come to be great and should be
given consideration. But they should be
regulated. AS stakeholder in railroads.
| wish to do only justice. Business men
al over the State advocate this bill He
had been a shipper for two cotton mills
and his experience had shown the neces-
sity of the regulation proposed. Rail-
roads make overcharges and they have
a system that makes it impossible to get
2 prompt settlement. He gave an in
stance of $50 overcharge about a year
ago, a claim was put in, but has not yet
been settled. Five years ago, We filed a
nj
ment. Is that right? The penalties for
refusal to settle thirty days after writ
ten claim, are necessary to compel
prompt settlement. He then took up the
section requiring railroads to fail to ship
within forty-eight hours. He said that
his company received cotton in Morgan
ton in December billed September 2Sth.
Had to shut down our mill because of it.
Couldn't locate it-cotton had been side
tra cked for weeks Another time cotton,
that had been kept at Conover and
water-sobbed, was delayed for weeks.
We had paid the freight and We couldn't
get our cotton and had to shut down our
nils. Is it right for mills and business
houses to be subject to such wrongs and
troubles?
After the railroads give a bill of ladng,
K should be kept going. This bill says
it shall not stop longer than forty eight
hours. and not two months as the South
ern Railway did last fall.
The railroads charge you 81 a day for
every car that we fail to unload If the
railroads can charge $500 a day if we do
not unload, ought they not to be COM
PEELED to pay if they do not have it
through in good time.
The bill also provides that if a rail
road takes coal or wood, they shall notify
the person to whom is it shipped within
three days. A coal dealer in Raleigh or
ders coal from Pocahontas mines: the
Southern Railway Company takes it at
Urban and uses it; it does not notify the
ccal dealer in Raleigh, who has already
sold it to consumers. Is it a crime TO
notify the owner of the coal that thev
have used it? And if they refuse to do
so within fifteen days, they ought to be
fired. They take the coal which the ship
cor has paid for-it is an internal. infer
rel shame and outrage that a railroad
takes a mans stuff and refuses even to
let him know they have taken it. The
dealer is expecting it every day, and this
Ill requires that he shall have notice.
A railroad ought to pay reasonable
claim within reasonable time. Nobody
ought to be allowed to take my money
end refuse to return my money in a rea-
sonable time
Hr. Morton: Wouldn't it be wrong
II force payment until it had been adjudi-
catcG?'
Mr.. Erwin: cit depends upon how long
they will take to adjudicate it, They
have n claim OF mine that has been stand
ing five years that they will not adjudi-
cate
Continuing Mr. Erwin said that cor
poraticns ought to be treated like folks
end made to act honestly and decently.
lie said he would like to hear what OBJ
lection any railroad has got to promptly
paving an honest claim.
- H. NJ Emerson. Traffic Manager
OF the Atlantic Coast Line, spoke in OPP
position to the bill. He began by saying