The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-18
STATEMENT BY w. G. MUNRoE.
In Which He Makes an Explanation
Which He Wishes Published.

| To the Editor: / see from an inter
view had with Senator Ward, of New
! Berne, that ] am spoken of as the
attorney of the Rowland Improve
| ment Company. 1t is also stated that
brought the bill to Raleigh, which
was introduced by Senator Aaron,
/ to extend the charter of the A. &
| y. c. Il. r. / can hardly understand
/ the purpose of Mr.. Ward, or of your
paper, in attempting to leave the i'm
| preston that i am the counsel of the
Rowland Improvement Company. Ii
! is we'll known to Mr.. Ward, that
am the general counsel of the a. &
\. c. X. r. Co, and who your in
| former can be, that led you to state
! that l was the attorney OF the How
| land Improvement Company is De-
You'd my comprehension. When the
! question of the lease was being dts
cnssed | discovered that the charter
| or the A. & n. G.. r. r. Co. was only
for ninety-nine years, ana being the
! general counsel of the A. IL \. {. 4.
! r., and a friend of the Governor, /
! telegraphed the Governor that SUCH
was the case. Your paper kindly
suggested that as the telegram came
| from New Berne. the home of Mr..
| Foy, who was opposed to the lease,
| it was probably suggested by Mr..
Foy.
| AS general counsel Of the A. &
| n. G. r. r. Co, after consolidation
! with the directors, ana at the SIG
| gestion of almost every one Interest
| ed in the matter, and with the ar
prevail of the president of the y. ~
! n. G. r. r., l drew bill ana Seht
| it to the Governor, who represents
! the States interest in the A. q y.
G.. r. r., and asked him to give IT.
a nHt~ n
| Senator Aaron and Senator ward anu
asked them to support it. I also,
as general counsel OF the A. " y. {.
r. r. wrote to a good many Senator's
and representatives and asked them
| to support the bill extending the
charter and your paper kindly sug-
gests, that l. as counsel OF the How
land Improvement Company, brought
the bill TO Raleigh.
1t seems, therefore, that whether I
am for or against the lease, my
position is bound to be misrepresent-
+" "A my motives impugned in his
matter. ~ jafaI ~
"n you kindly state that was
personally opposed to the lease. that
l am not the counsel of the HoWtaEd
improvement Company, but the gen
eral counsel Of the A. & y. G.. r. J..
Co; that i believe, that good faith
pany requires the A. & \. {. K. K.
Co., TO make an effort to have its
charter extended. That | helievc that
the best interests of the State, Of the
private stockholders, OF the uoW!and
| Improvement Company ana of the
country through which the y. & y. c.
| r. II. runs will be advanced by the
| extension of the charter OF the \. a.
! n. G. Il. r. Co.
| / do not know the people who are
| the lessees of the A. & \. =. L. Il.
| Co.. but / am Informed that they
/ have very largely increased the rolling
| stock of the A. az n. G. K. f. Co.;
| that they have purchased iron Snfti-
cient TO put new and large. steel rails
| ON every mile Of the road, that they
have very much improved lle track
and are making the bridges more per-
manent: and arc contemplating many
| improvements looking towards the
| betterment of the road. and the de-
velopment and Improvement OF the
country through which IT runs.
/ read the article n the February
number of McClure's Magazine, re-
| flecting upon the whole people of the
State Of Rho5ic 1siand, as I nave also
| heard of the i2ngsf2Se, Of one at least,
of the mass meetHn,cs held along the
road. which rehaHtcd upon The char
! acter of men II abr o"el STATE, rthOm
| l know to be above reproach.
| / am, tn 1reioi'e, It little luatll to
give much weight to the wholesale de-
nunciation of the. people of who're
| State.
| / have no interest in this matter
except a desire to do my duty, which
] thought devolved upon me by rea-
son Of the position | occupy as gen.
| eral counsel of the A. & y. c. r.
r. Co.
/ know that there is complaint along
the line of the road, as to some of the
freight rates established by the How
land Improvement Company. | do
not know how well founded they arc
but l do know that there is a condi-
ton in the lease forbidding the lessee
to raise the general average Of the
local freight, and SO long as am
general counsel of the A. Il n. <. y.
r. Co., l shall give my best efforts
in the future. as l have in the past,
towards enforcing a due observance
of the contract on the part of the
lesseeS, on all proper occasions.
Very truly yours,
w. c. MCNROE.
(The statement that that Mr.. Mum.
roe was attorney of the Rowland I'm.
provelhent Company was an inadvert
ance of this paper. 1t was Intended tC
say that he was attorney of the A. &
y, c. X. r. No reflection, was made
on Mr. Munroe or intended.
The interview with Senator Ware
gave his reasons for opposing the eX
! tension of the charter of the A. & \
c. X. K. by this Legislature, and i
was a legitimate subject OF newSpape,
| news. The reasons that influence hin
| may not influence others, but he va!
requested 10 give his views for thC
benefit Of the people who head this
paper, particularly along the line 81
the railroad.
The directors of the A. & n. G. X
! r.. who agreed to ask the Legislature
tn extend the lease of the road, WoulC
not be acting in good faith If they die
not carry out their agreement. The
character of these gentlemen is proof
that they will live UP to their prom
! .S3S.
AS TO whether the Legislature 1T this
time should comply with their request
| is another matter. Senator Ward. OF
craven, thinks This Legislature oughj
not TO vote ;he extension. Other cit
| liens hold a like view. At their re.
quest, Senators Ward and Arendel
have obtained a hearing on Monday