The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-27
TIME FOR ACTION
Business Men of Winston
Hold Meeting.
Unsatisfactory Freight Service Sharp
w Criticised. Their Grievances to
be Laid Before the Commits
sion Today.

The entire Railroad Commission, in
Guiding Clerk Brown, left yesterday
afternoon for Winston to investigate
and attempt to remedy the very dis
astrous state of affairs now existing in
that city on account of a shortage OF
freight facilities with which to han
die the tobacco ready for shipment
from the great producing sections near
that point
AS was pointed out in special dis
patches to the News and Observer
yesterday, there is great distress eX-
listing among the tobacco farmers who
are compelled to sell at smaller prl-
ces in smaller markets and inconve-
nience and loss of business TO the
manufacturers who are unable to pro-
cure the raw product. For num-
Der of DAYS there had not been a
freight tram into Winston and thous-
ands upon thousands of pounds OF
tobacco were rotting or damaging
in the warehouses along the route OF
the railroads awaiting shipment TO
Winston for sale. The great ware
houses at that point, which are al this
season of the year usually experience
ing a great rush, are practically ldle
through lack of supplies and the farm
ers who have shipped tobacco to
Winston are there by the hundred
awaiting the arrival of their ship
ments. which are delayed and are be
ing rendered worthless along the
route.
In addition to a tying UP of this
character of a great business, the tact
that tobacco is a plant which requires
great delicacy of handling and stor-
age which cannot be procured while it
is in transitu makes the situation the
more desperate.
After the receipt of the telegram
from Winston Wednesday the Railroad
Commission at once got into communl-
cation with the railroads and the par
ties who were interested on the other
hand. Nothing could be obtained yes
terday from the railroad commission
office regarding either the claims of
the railroad or the progress which had
been made towards alleviating the
existing conditions. The commission
will make a thorough investigation
at Winston, however and decide upon
what are the facts and what action
they may take. The fact that the
trip was hurried from Friday to yes
terday indicates the Importance of the
situation.
From other sources it was learned
that the railroads interested are claim
ing that the shortage of the cars re-
causes. in that the fair at Winston
produced a traffic which they were
unable to keep up with and that the
season now being at the very heaviest
and the manufacturers using many
cars they were sWamped for a time.
They claim that freights have now
commenced to run and that the sit
uation is relieved.
On the other hand the tobacco men
ia off these
sertions, stating that the present
shortage is merely a more acute
form of a long continued trouble.
They say that there has been persist
ent lack of attention or the part Of
the railroads to the needs of the town
in the matter of freight accomoda-
tons, which have been borne with
more or less patience. by reason of
repeated promises which have not
been kept. This last emergency, has,
however, led these interests to abandon
their former policy and appeal to the
commission.
In the meantime, the railroads
will doubtless adopt their usual pol
icy of attempting to relieve the situa-
ton when public clamor has forced
them to do so.
The corporation commission will
make a thorough investigation, take
evidence and do all in it's influence tC
prevent recurrence of what a
great number of Winston people re-
gard as a mere abuse of might and
neglect, through the assurance of pow
er and invulnera bility from. attack.
The roads leading out of Winston
while separate, are in point of fact
so closely allied by community OF
interests as to form, for the purposes
of traffic and freight acomodations
to the public a single system. =.