The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-05-21
THE SELMA CONNECTION CASE.

preme Court from Judge Browns
judgment, and we understand that a
motion will be made by the Attorney
General to advance the hearing OF
the case and it will probably be heard
during the first week of the next term
of the Supreme Court.
The Importance of the case we feel
sure will justify the court in advance
ing the hearing. 1t has occurred to
us in view of the admitted facts and
evidence in the case that there is a
popular Misrepresentation of the eff
feet of the order of the Corporation
Commission. 1t seems to be assumed
that the only way for the Atlantic
Coast Line to make the connection at
Selma is the establishment of a new
train and that the Corporation Com
mission ordered the Coast Line to put
on a new train in order to make the
connection. 1t will be entirely unnec-
essary for the Coast Line to put on
any new trains as the connection can
be easily made by the trains now in
the service of the company. This we
|
ted facts of the case.
| 1t is admitted that the Coast Line
operates a train running from Rocky
Mount to Spring Hope, a distance of
only nineteen miles, making two trips
daily. This train reaches Rocky
Mount from Spring Hope at twelve
O'Clock and remains on the side track
of the company until four in the after
moon.
The Coast Line operates another
train running from Plymouth to. Rocky
Mount reaching Rocky Mount at ten
thirty-five in the morning, and remains
upon the side track of the company
until four o'clock in the afternoon.
There is no reason why either of
these trains could not be extended to
Selma and the connection easily made
without the necessity of putting on any
new train. The only reason urged by
the railroad why the Spring Hope ira n
could not be extended to Selma was
that the conductor and engineer of
the Spring Hope train were employed
In doing other work from the time OF
the arrival of the train from twelve
O'Clock until four, and that the engine
of the Spring Hope train was wood
| burner and not q coal burner. 1t
was shown that on the trains from
Weldon to Kinston, Plymouth to
| Rocky Mount, the Washington branch,
| wood was used, and if it was nece s.
sary to use coal a wood burner en-
CINE could easily be changed into
a coal burner with the expenditure OF
| three hundred dollars IS testified to
by the officers of the company. RE
engineer of the Spring Eope train tes-
titled that with the engine now ein,;
used by him he could easily make the
schedule fixed by the Commission from
Rocky Mount to Selma.
| 1t is admitted that the Selma con-
Injection is a very important one, and
to use the language of Mr. Emerson.
a leading official OF the company. 1t
is the principal outlet for the Eastern
North Carolina travel for Raleigh and
points west, and is the most direct and
cheapest route" 1t was also found fy
the jury that this conn action was the
most convenient one for the travelling
public and should be made by the
Coast Line, and that this connection
has been maintained by the Coast
Line for the past fifteen years, with the
train scheduled to reach Selma at ESQ
D. M, connecting there with the South
ern for Raleigh and the west.
1t was admitted by the Coast Line
that for the past year, on account of
this train being held at Richmond to
make their Northern connections, and
by reason of a very large increase in
their business, rendering it necessary
| to put on extra express cars, that
| it had been impossible for them to
make this connection at Selma.
1t was shown that from August
| 1903, to April, 1904, this train did not
arrive at Selma more than a dozen
DAYS on time, and that for all useful
purposes the connection was broken
| by the Coast Line. The Coast Line in
| sisted that it was impossible for the
reasons above given for this train to
| fcdCn SolIlld III IlUlc- 10 COIlIlCCL WIN
the Southern, even if the Southern
should restore their schedule. The
| Commission felt that in view of the
importance of this connection and the
increasing travel, that this connection
which had been maintained for fifteen
years should not be broken, and the
order of the Commission did not re-
uuire the Coast Line to put on any
new train, but simply required the
Coast Line to make this connection
1t is true the Commission suggested
that if the Coast Line could not make
the connection with the train which
they had been making this connection
for fifteen years, that the connection
might be made by extending the run
of the Plymouth train or the run of
the Spring Hope train and, if neither
of these were practicable, then a new
train was suggested.
The only reason suggested by the