The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-29
Ghr massrlmer.
A. 6 n. c. AXLE GREASE.

COMPANY and the OA COMPANY Win
headquarters at Goldsboro. Our friend
proceeded to read us a lecture the other
day on b way We belittled the charge
against the railroad management by
calling the oil; "axle-grease." In our
limited knowledge Of railroad tech
nique we supposed that the Oil was
used mainly as a lubricant. It may be
supplied to the station agents also. for
all we know, for purposes Of luminosity
and perhaps, il some should happen to
use an oil stove We might have an ex-
pert opinion upon h calorfmetry
problems involved. But this by the
way.
$ The above is the opening paragraph
OF a column and a half editorial In
Saturdays issue of the Charlotte News
under the heading of That Axle
Grease Business" There are some men
who can see something funny in and
can nj in print lords of ridicule OF any
thing, no matter now important, seri-
GUS or heart-rending the subject mat
ter-even unto the administration OF
the last rites OF holy church ordinances
to women and children who are,
through a calamity 8 % appalling as to
shock the civilized world, passing from
life unto death in mangled heaps and
masses in the streets Of one Of our chSef
cities.
With an editor Of such temperament
no one knows how to argue a serious
problem.
This lengthy editorial Of The News
was brought about by N or two allu-
sions in The Messenger to the PROPOSE
ton that the committee now inveSti-
eating the anagement Of the Atlantic
and North Carolina railroad should
look into the matter Of purchase of oils
by the officials of that DAD. The News
editor tries to create a diversion ~
funny remarks on the words "axle
grease oils and luminosity" Right
here we will advise him to be o too
generous with his Luminosity" for the
present. He may need some Of it to
find among the mass of testimony
taken by the governors committee the
small particles Of vindicatfon OF the
management Of the system that may he
hidden therein.
The editor of The News has gone TO
unnecessary pains and taken up unnec-
essary valuable space in his paper in
defense OF Governor Aycock in his re-
ply to The Messenger regarding this
"axle grease" matter. Out of Of defer
ence to the acknowledged superiority
OF the editor Of The News in natural
gifts and education, secular md re-
ligfous. we will accept his term AXLE
grease and drop the term generally
used by those who deal in the comIno-
dity, oils We do not think he can
find one single sentence in the editorial
or any other columns of The Messen-
ger which charges the governor with
being connected in any manner shape
or form with any alleged wrong doing
regarding axle grease transactions
Of the Atlantic or We do not be-
lieve The Messener has ever before
called attention to the fact that the
governor was at one time a stockhoId-
er OF the National Oil Company. which
now has h contract for supplying axle
grease to h Atlantic T-.cu. The News
says he sold out his stock when he was
elected governor. This We believe is a
fact. By way Of p~arenthesis we would
CShB lin ~ NC"S Ido IOuSI( w
this Subject-was not this oil company,
every one of whose stockholders were
North Carolinians, chartered, by app,i.
cation of the incorporators, under thu
laws of Virginia have its
home office in a Virginia city? With
how many other railroads in the coun-
try has it contracts to sell axle grease:
Does it manufacture or refine an ounce
or the axle grease it sells to the At
Atlantic and North Carolina railroad?
Has it a home plant which it is trying
to build UP in opposition to the Stand
ard Oil Company as The News wCaId
have its readers believe? From whom
does the National Oil Company, COM
posed Of prominent men living on the
line Of the Atlantic and North Caro-
lima railroad. with headquarters in an
other state, buy h axle grease it sells
to h Atlantic and North Carolina rail-
road?
The News tells US that when AycOck
was elected governor and before he
was inaugurated he look a to sever
all connection with the company CTha
National Oil Company by the absolute
sale OF his stock"
Why was it considered proper tina
the governor-elect Of North Carolina
should sell his stock in a Virginia cor.
poration before entering upon thu
duties of his office? He may a as
well deemed il necessary at the same
time and for the same eason to sci