The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-06

winburn. that the influence of Wall Street began on the Central stocks be- fore the low rates in Georgia"
 The chairman suggested that the fail ure of the Central was long about It's birth, if 1t started as far back as was claimed by Mir. winburn.
 | Mir. Winburn acknowledged that debentures had been issued by the Gen. tral Railroad in lieu of interest that had not been paid to the stockholders
 Asked if the Central of Georgia Rail- road per mile was worth as much as s37, ,O00 MT. Winburn said he believed it was worth every bit as much,
 Major R. E. Steiner of Montgomery arose when the colloquy turned 10 lum- Der rates in Georgia. and said that In recent years the price of lumber has been increased to double, but the rates have not been increased.
 The chairman reminded him that there was an increase in the interstate rates as acknowledged by Mir. Winburn. There was no raise in the intra-state rates in Georgia on lumber as result of increased price of lumber The chairman reminded Mir. Winburn that an injunction Is now pending against fhe railroads from increasing the lum- | Der rates.
 MT. winburn said that the earning level in Alabama IS itsS loi thS SSh- tral Railroad than in Georgia Chairman Conner referred to the estimate of MT. Nesbit. late of the Cen traI of Georgia, that the tonnage of the Birmingham district Is more than all | of Georgia combined
 | If was denied by Mir. winburn that comparison would be unjust between the limestone as Aux for the iron fur naces and fertilizers. He said that the limestone delivered to the fur naces far as the cost Is concerned con | sists mostly of freight.
 | The chairman addressed Mir. Culp, of the Southern Railway, that if the high officials of the Southern Railway | recently instead of flying through the Southern States on private train, had | stopped more often and examined the conditions of the people they might lhave better appreciated the situations.
 MT. Culp replied that the trip re- ferred to was for the purpose of com | ing in contact with the people and that a study was made of the conditions in | this section.
 | MT. Capps answered the chairman l that the Seaboard Air Line Railway does not charge more fertilizer rates from Montgomery to Hurtsboro than from Americus, Ga. to Hurtsboro. The interstate tariff is being raised to the rates that hold for Alabama | Mir. Capps answered the chairman that he could not say that the Sea bord has paid any more than the hxed | charges of the road. The road Is extending some of its properties, but not out of its earnings.
 The chairman said that he ought to he supported in his contention that the seaboard Air Line has the most tom mage increase in the territory where fertilizers are most used. | Answering Major Steiner, MT. Capps said the bulk of revenue of the Sea- board Air Line comes from interstate trafac and that Improvements are be- ing continually made to better the service for the interstate movement.
 MT. Smith of Western. A. R. Smith, Freight Traffic Manager of the Western Railway of Alabama testified in behalf of that road. MT Smith does not consider that the re- turns of the road in Alabama justify a reduction in any freight rates.
 MT. Smith produced figures of the operation of his road, which he said were only approximate, as test figures had to be used at the present time. It was shown that gross intra-state earn lings of the road in Alabama were for the fiscal year 1904 $26T,S52.iS and the operting expenses. plus Alabamas quota of the taxes, interest essess- ments, etc. deducted from this, show an income of S116,4s1, for the last fiscal year on intra-state business in Ala bama. This, MT. Smith claimed did not pay half the legal rate of interest in this State on the investment.
 MT Smith pointed out that the bet torment of the railroads in Alabama are on the increase.
 MT. Smith said he could not repro N.N Alabama for less than $45,000 per mile. lThe domestic earnings of Alabama on all business are 35. .S4 per cent. of the whole.
 The chairman said that "when 1t Icomes to burying man the rates of Alabama are about 400 per cent. more lthan that of Georgia. Reference was made to the difference, in rates on Itcmbstones in the States.
 The chairman and Mir. Smith went lover the rates on sugar, groundpeas, livestock and other things, comparing lthese for Alabama and Georgia.
 Returning to the tombstone question, IMr. Smith asked the chairman If he thought i've ought to make 1t easier flor a man to die in Alabama than in lGeorgla."
 q do not think that" replied MT. IComer, but we would like to take care Tor the deau ana uo sOnetHiuB ior IHciI memory"
 MT. smith corrected the figures of the chairman quoted in the Monday laddress regarding tombstone freight Irates in Georgia, saying that the rate flor forty miles is 23 cents instead of I3S cents The chairman said he took Ihis figures from the tariff of the Vest Tern Railway two years ago.
 Conner and 4. R. smith.
 bod la long colloquy on the history of the How rate war in Georgia in which MT. lSmith took exceptions to many state lments. He said the fight was not made lin Georgia by the Commission but by the Georgia Freight Bureau.
 The Chairman said the Commission was in sympathy with the fight and lit was at their instance that the Bu- Ireau conducted the light.
 The Chairman summed up his con- ltentions by stating that he did not see any justice in the Western Railway giving rates in Georgia and then com ling across the river and imposing 50 per cent higher tariffs.
 MT. Smith said the road has not stopped protesting against the Geor- gia rates.
 The investigation turned to the own ership of the Atlanta and West Point Road when the Chairman and the wit ness differed.
 Milton H. Smith. President of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Com