The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-17
FIGHT EXTENSION
Of A.&N.C. CHARTER
kilograms Come From
East to Senators.
THE BILL HELD OVER
Measure to Make Charter Perpetual
Raises Protest From People Who
Say "HowIand Improvement
Company Treats Them
With Contempt.

The bill introduced by Senator Aaron,
making the charter of the Atlantic
and North Carolina Railroad perpetual
has met with considerable opposition
among Senators who have been adj
vIsed of the feelings of the people III
the section through which the road
runs.
The bill was held u puntil Monday
" hen it will be heard by the Senate
Judiciary Committee. it being expected
that representatives of the sections in
terested will be on hand TO urge the
opposition.
The bill was brought here by Mr.
~. lC. Munro, Of Goldsboro. attorney
fer the Howland Improvement Com
pany, and introduced by Senator
Aaron, by request.
Speaking Of the bill Yesterday. Sen.
ator Ward stated that he would ap-
pear In opposition thereto when the
matter came up before the commit
Zee on Monday. The people along the
nne of the road, said he, appeared to
be unequivocally opposed to the
measure on the ground that it appear
..d 10 be run with a total disregard Of
He had received number OF tele-
grams asking that the bill be held up
tor the present and Re ednderstood that
the people OF his section desired par
ucUlarly to be heard In opposition.
IN further conversation as TO the
bin, senator Ward stated that the
charter of the Atlantic and North
Carolina had yet forty-seyen years to
run. and that he did not see any ne
cessity for haste in amending the law
so as to make the charter perpetual,
since there would be twenty-three
Legislatures to convene between the
present and the time at which the
charter would expire by limitation.
Senator Arendell, who with Senator
Ward is representative OF every county
trayersed by the road with the excep-
ton OF the county of Wayne, stated
that he had not absolutely decided
upon his course with respect to the bin
hut that he had received several tele>
grams from his constituents IN opposi>
ton thereto.
The Senator from Wayne. the only
other county referred to, is Mr.. Aaron,
who as stated above is the introducel
by request of the bill.
Howiand Has Sold Ont.
II has developed since the lease or
the road that Mr.. Rowland, who was
The head of the syndicate which ne
gotiaied the proceedings with Cover
nor Aycock. was either but the agent
CT the parties who are at present in
control, Cr pas since Sod out to them.
The people of the eastern counties.
who complain bitterly as tc the man.
agcment of the property since the
lease, claim that tile owpers of the
tn.. ,.yff l1.f 1f. Igl f-t
Of which the notorious Aldrich is the
president and that the real powers be-
hind the throne of the A. Sc \. G..
proposition arc either the Southern or
the Coast Line, or probably both,
Freight rates have been put up. they
say. 10 n point that is oppressive when
the former rates are considered, the
read taking the ground that 1t has the
right 10 adopt the maximum freight
rates permitted by the Cor
poration Commission Notwithstanding
the fact that there is a
provision in its lease which at first
glancn seems 10 Indicate that il is
bound II. the terms OF that instrument
not to increase the rates in practice
on stha roac under the former man,
agement.
II Is claimed, also, that since it OBJ
tiincd the lease, the "Howiand I'M
proVclnent Company mas ayaied it.
self OF every possible technically
clubbing over what was mutual
mistake and admitted TO be such in
the mattcrd Of interest. amounting to
about five thousand dollars and only
paEin1, the same on the compronise
agreement Of the State 10 pay the
taxes. which il was thought the lease
specifically provided should De paid by
the lessee. on the 3rounC shat the
taxes having been assessed in June, the
road was not responsible. The amount
~ taxes being over 81, 500 the oppon-
state, b. reason Of an error Of calcula-
ton which was mutual, has been prac-
ticaily rnulcted OF over half the
amount Of interest accrued since the
lease went into effect.
The president of the company is no
longer Air. HoWland but a Mr.. Perry.
who is said to be shining light OF
the group Of fnanciers who arc SO
"high IN their art that only they can
breathe the rarified atmosphere OF
their altitude with a profit. This gen
tlcman is said TO have recently furn-
ished the theme Of an illuminating
chapter of the current popular stories
with reference TO the operations in
"frengied finance" and the people
along the line Of the a. * ~. G. say
that his reputation is wei sustained
in iho conduct of that road. Com
lairt has be1n often made That the
1Iowland Improvement Company. So
called. has from the first treated the
people Of the section with the most
utter contempt. Indignation meetings
have been common along the line Of