The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-28

comotive, 1855; interest and depre-
citation on passenger cars, $6.5I =; taxes
and insurance, 23c. q day.
The total was $43.01 a day, or 75c.
A mile. The cost of a new engine had
put at $4,000, a very conservative
figure. The life of an engine was
about twenty years. There were no
wood stations between Rocky Mount
aud Selma. The Plymouth and Spring
Hope engines are wood burners. The
Atlantic Coast Line has no facilities
Tor turning a locomotive at Selma.
CYoss-Examination.
MI Busbee cross-examined Mr..
Smith and asked him for the items
that made up the cost of operation
cost and the items that made it up?
Mr.. Smith said he did not have the fig
ures at hand. The Plymouth train, af-
ter it's arrival at Rocky Mount about
1920 in the morning, is pat on the
siding and cleaned up. The engine is
put in the round house and repaired
and gotten ready for the return trip.
Could that engine be used for shift
ing purposes? No. it would not be
good practice. But they used the
Spring Hope engine for shifting pur-
poses, why not this one? The differ
encc was in the number of miles run
Mr.. Busbee brought out that the
Spring Hope engine was not at Rocky
Mount at any time as long IS The
plymouth engine, some six hours.
Mr.. Busbee asked Mr.. Smith - eX-
plain how he arrived at the figures
1882 for oil, waste, brasses, etc.
which was so much higher than either
the engineer or Mr.. Lacy put 4. How
much oil was used on that trip, and
what was the cost OF it? Witness coult
not give the figure, saying he LAC
net arrived at it that way. but 0y 6
process of division of figures fcT tho
entire line. He could not give these
fractions now without guesS 4 al
them. What were the brasses? They
were the slinings of the boxes in which
the axleS turned. How often Gid the.
have to be renewed? Mr.. Smith: ''Y on
are asking questions no man on err!
could answer" Mr.. Bushce: But *or
are an expert" Mr.. Smith: There IS {
limit to the knowledge of an expert.
Mr.. Busbee: $50 your answer to tina
would be another guess Mr. Smith
Eyes, and it was for the very reason
that / did not want to make '!,"st
guesseS that [ took the Whole cCst
for 81 year, because brass may = 81
a year or only n few minut2S.' Mr.
Busbee then asked what the road pad
for wood on the line from Spring / JpC
to Rocky Mount, and Judge Brown
ruled the question: out. Then Mr.
Busbee took UP the item for G'Han-
ing cars and asked for the items CT
that. How much for soap? how n Oh
for brushes? how much for l1HCr ! MI
Smith could not say AS 10 me- 81
and depreciation, on what was that
depreciation based On the a.er'tgC
g 6 ', \
age life? Could not tell on the and
would have to calculate it. What Vas
the average value Of the engin s CIV
i'm use on the G. c. L.? Could nr' tel
Offhand, was not willing to approx.
mate the average value. Were th1S
worth 500 apiece? Witness decliuCt
to answer.
A Slight Tilt.
Mr.. Busbee asked Mr.. Smith
if the figure Of $4,000 given by
an official of the Coast Line in 10 ta2
returns, was correct. Objection. rTla
official was John r. l1el.y fou Il
vice-president Of the road. Ar. Pus
bee started to repeat the question ant
Judge Brown Interrupted him by rul
ing out the question as Incompetent
Then Mr.. Busbee said 10 the Judge
Hadn't you better wait till I've aSkat
tDc question w alt Il minute, Stl &C
!! Judge Brown. 81 don't understan,
any such suggestion as that VIVA
do you mean by asking the court If j
had not better wait until you mac
put the question ?' ooh, nothing what
ever" said Mr.. Busbee.
MIR. Busbee then took up the ques
ton of the cost of the cars, Whicl
Mr.. Smith had figured upon as $500
| apiece. He tried to get Mr.. Smith L
| explain the difference between 4 firs
and second class car. Mr.. Smith sale
there was no fixed rule about that
| Mr.. Smith could not say whether tn,
Plymouth train had first or SECOND
class cars. lie had been on that lin,
three or four years ago, and the car
were not regular sixty foot first ClaS
cars, but he could not tell what tn,
value of those cars would be. Had tn,
A. c. L. any car that cost more THAI
| $4,000? oh. yes. What was the vaiu,
OF the highest-priced car on the road
! $500. OF the lowest Could not tel
| What was the value Of a wood-burnin.
engine, 17x24 cylinder, foot wheel
| the one that runs from Spring Hope
| He could not tell. If the train woul,
! cost $43.01 from Rocky Mount to Sci
ma and return what would be the ad
ditiOnal cost to extend the run so as T.
make 1916 miles instead of 80 miles
Mr.. Smith would have to figure tha
out. Mr.. Busbee wanted him to d.
that, but Judge Brown said he coul
not allow the delay. He could figur
it out by morning if he wished, bu
not then and there. Mr.. Smith sal
that it would cost nearly twice a
much, the conductor would have t
be paid more, at TIE rate of &c & mil
| for every additional mile. What wcui
| that amount to? He did not care +
make the estimate on the stand. Ina
was the conductor on the Norfolk al
Goldsboro paid? That was 15G milo
each way. He was paid on a mite z
basis q sliding scale. One 'vI,o mac
$500 miles get $114, if 1850 NE
| 500, if 1000 miles $92. Mr. Suitn ha
! figured the conductors salaty tcf n
new train at $500 lay, Tor inc g
| miles. So the conf ~ K would SO