The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-24

the contractor had nothing to lose.
Besides. the company was behind him
and advancing money as he needed II,
thus assuming ali risk OF loss
1t is urged in justification of this
transaction first that the company was
nearly out of wood, and that 1T must
be had at any cost, in order to Keep
the trains moving; ana second, that IT
would be troublesome and expensive
for the railroad to assume the direct
management of the convict force, and
get the wood out for itself without
the service of the contractor. With
reference to the first of these objec-
tons, and referring also to the con-
tract with OVerman, it may be said.
with certainty that rather than pay
$2.25, $500 or even $l.75 per cord for
wood coal can be used for fuel with
the result OF saving money and time;
but more of this later. The second
objection seems to have little force
in face of the fact that the company
stood to lose If Ives lost, and therefore
ii should have taken the trouble Ilcces-
sary to prevent loss for its own I1'J-
lection.
1t has been noticed that wood
for fuel costs the company 500
and $50 per cord deliver
ed on the roadside between
New Bern ana Goldsboro. The prices
paid east Of New Bern arc S1.75 on
racks and $1.65 piled beside the track
The facts brought out in the evidence
in reference to wood contracts in the
vicinity OF CrOatan and HaVelock are
Such as TO compel the conclusion that
Mr. Bryan has used the authority con
neCted with the official position he oc-
cupies for the purpose of effecting and
increasing sales of wood to the com
pany from his own land, situated at
and near HaVelOck. He owns a very
large quantity Of wooded land. sixty
thousand acres, il is said. situated
on both sides Of the railroad and ex-
tending from the creek Just west Of
EaVelock eastwardly TO the Pocosin
crossing, Il distance of something like
three and half or four miles. Upon
this land al q point just east of Have
lock, there are extensive Wood-racks
These racks are and have been served
by one Mr.. Rocks who receives from
the company $1.75 for wood delivered
in the rack. OF this sum he pays Mr.
Bryan 80 cents uer cord for the
standing wood. TWO miles west of
the creek at HavelOck, the western
boundary OF Mr.. Bryan's land, there
is wood rack owned and run by
another person, and situated upon his
. own land. Two miles further west
; y q
there is still another rack. Passen-
ger trains are required to take wood
! from racks, Gas distinguished from
taking it from the ground) in order
to save time. The three places men
toned above are the only wood sta
| lions between New Bern and More
head. therefore all the wood taken be-
tN cen these points by passenger trains
had TO como from one of these three
stations. In the spring of 1902 an or
der signed by $. l.. Din, superintend-
ent, was issued to al engineers re-
curing them TO get all the wood they
used between New Bern and More
head from the racks between the
creek at Havelock and the Pocosin
crossing. IL will be noticed that the
boundaries mentioned in this order
between which wood shall be taken
are also the boundaries of Mr.. Bryan'S
land. and the only wood station left
open by this order is the one supplied
by Rocks with wood cut from this
land At the time this order was is
sued the company was paying Sl.30
to $40 for wood east of New Bern.
1t is shown by the testimony that
Rocks wood was inferior ia length
and piiing tothat furnished by the two
racks which were cut off by the or
der mentioned, and in a few weeks the
engineers began to disregard the or
der by taking some wood from the
two Independent racks. When this
became known 4 second order was is
sued referring to the first, in the fol-
lowing language: New Bern, n. c.,
June 3rd. 1902. Circular to Conduc
tors and Engineers. My attention has
again been called TO your not taking
wood at 4. ID. Rocks racks east OF
Haveiock Some months since your
attention was called to this and you
were Instructed to take wood resu-
larly from them. This is TO give you
! fair and timely notice that if this oc-
ours again the party at fault will be
| Immediately suspended or discharged
! from the company's employ.
(SiCned) IS. l.. DILL,
Superintendent.
On March 30th. 1904. another or
der to tho same effect in a negative
way, signed by Z. A. Newland. master
of trains. was posted upon the bulle-
tin board in the roundhouse. and re-
manned upon the board during the
stay of your committee in New Bern.
! 1t was about as follows:
/ New Bern. n. c.. March goth, 1904.
"To the Engineers: You are here
! by forbidden to take wood from the