The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-27


situated between Croatan n the creek
(signed.) sB. a. NEwLAND.
Master OF Trains.
When it is remembered that the only
two racks. other than the Rooks-Bryan
rack between New Bern n Morehead
were situated Croatan and
the creek at Havelock, Ii viii be seen
that this order confines wood getting
to The Zoe station as e~fectualiy as
the first positive order Neither OF
these orders has been revoked. and the
last mentioned one was still on the
bulletin board when we left New Bern
on the 9Th OF this month
Mr.. Bryan sought TO explain these
orders by showing that certain parties
had been stealing wood from his land
and selling IL 10 the railroad company.
and the roadmaster confirmed this. but
| said tina this stolen o had been
put on the roadside. not in racks, east
OF Mr.. Bryan's land. while the racks
upon which the embargo was laid were
west Of his land and two and four miles
distant from il. Even a the parties
furnishing these racks been the thieves
IL would not be proper tor the Atlantic
and North Carolina railroad to be used
| for the purpose OF policing Mr.. Bryan's
private property. Especially Is this
1 tEuc WnGn Is ECIlcllbCIGu mat AK
cost of wood 10 the company was rapid
ly moving upward. because OF lack OF
| competition, and these orders cut of
arbitrarily the only competitors OF the
| Rooks-Bryan rack between New Bern
and Morehead, and must have in some
| measure contributed TO the advance in
| the price of WOO Mr.. Bryan further
urged in explanation OF the necessity
! for these orders that all the parties were
furnishing wood in a h~aphaZard sort
| of way, and, in order 10 induce one OF
1 them to give his attention TO the bus
mess and keep the rack supplied at all
times, it was necessary to give him the
exclusive privilege between New Bern
and Morehead.~
Charge That Eleven Agents Were
Short in Their Accounts.
When Mr.. McBee took charge the
result of a check of agents accounts
showed, it is alleged. that eleven OF
them were behind with the company.
1t is true that agents have not been
required to comply with the usual rigid
but proper rules OF settlement obtain
ing l. -"ilroad practice, but we do not
find 1t eleven agents are or were
short IS that term Is usually under
stood. Claims in course of adjustment
and various small items OF credit to
| WHICH dScutS are ehtlllCu III al
ried in accounts unsettled for long Pc
RODS, and when checked up all agents
would appear short until these items
were adjudicated and credited. 1t
appears that only one agent was real
ly short in accounts TO such an extent
that settlement could not be made
promptly when the amounts due were
aseertained. We are not disposed to
defend this one case Of shortage, but
4 Io ry;eh 20 oarrnnS $ha i'm nraScinn that
a large number of agents were or are
behind in their accounts. In addition
to the one case of shortage above noted,
which amounts to $47S.56, We find that
the agent at New Bern has been carry
ing in his accounts a large sum due by
a company in New Bern for freights on
lumber, the lumber having been de-
livered. This amount exceeds $4,000,
and represents not only the Atlantic
and North Carolina railroads freight
on the material. but quite a large por-
ton of the amount was paid in cash
by the company to other lines for
freight accruing up to the Atlantic and
North Carolina railroad track. It is
shown that this credit was extended
by order Of the President and with the
knowledge of some or all of the direc-
tors. In view of the fact that the rail-
road company is. mot in position to be-
come a money-lender, but, on the con-
trary, is on the other side Of the money
market, carrying considerable interest
bearing loans itself. we do not believe
this state Of affairs should a been
allowed.
Charge in Reference to the Purchase
n Management Of the
Atlantic Hotel.
Whether the purchase by the road
of the Atlantic Hotel was lawful or
not, (and the. committee thinks 1t
was not, for the reason that the pur-
chase or maintenance Of a hotel is
not authorized by the charter of the
company and hat in Section 1 Of
Chapter SIS of Public Acts Of 1889,
comforting upon railroads generally
the right to purchase and operate ho-
tells, eating-houses, etc., such privi-
lege is expressly withheld from any
railroad in which the state has a pc
cuniary interest), it would seem
pretty clear that it was not wise. The
history of resort hotels in North
Carolina IS a whole has not been
such as to investment in
this class of property with the hope
of profit. The shortness Of the sea-
son the expense OF maintenance
which continues throughout the year,
repairs and renewals have contribut-
ed to make most of such properties
burdens instead of profitable invest
ments. The fact that more than
$125.000 had been spent on the At
lantic Hotel first and last at the time
Of the purchase by the railroad, and
hat the result of all this money and
labor was held at only $4,000, tells
quite plainly that this property wa
not an exception to the rule. It Is
~urged-that it was the purpose of the
owners to discontinue the operation
of the hotel. and III WAS said that III
would not again be omen for guests
unless the railroad Should buy and
operate it. Remembering that the
railroad company received consider
able revenue from passenger traffic
to this point, it is but natural that
this argument should have had great
weight with the directors. They
seem not To have gen the uracticai