The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-19
To the Corporation Com
mission in 1900.
AND WON HIS SUIT
Subsequently an OverCharge Of 1859
Ia Was Refunded Because of Over
charges On Shipments to Mills
Located at Sanford and the
Rate Was Reduced.

In its issue of Sunday, the News an,
Observer printed the following as
portion of an Interview with Mr.. H. c
Brown. Clerk to the State Corporation
Commission:
I'm this State, at the time Of the
passage of the Railroad Commits
sion act, there were different
views held as to the advisability of
the establishment OF a Railroad
Commission with making
powers, but there is now but one
opinion that the enforcement OF
the law has accomplished great
good. l am sure Mr.. Cox will
agree with me in this, for by re-
ference to page 17S, Commission
ers' Report for the year 1901, l
find that Mr.. Cox petitioned the
commission alleging that the
freight rate on rough logs. name
ly: dogwood, hickory, persimmon
and gumwood, over the Seaboard
Air Lines roads was excessive, and
that unless the commission would
require the defendant to transport
logs at a lower rate, he would be
mills from along the line OF said
road. The commission, after hear
ing and careful consideration in
this case, issued an order granting
the relief he asked for--that is,
reducing the rates some rs per
cent; and, subsequently, an over
charge of $55S.14 was refunded
on account of overcharges on
shipments to one Of the mills To-
Gated at Sanford, and on all sub
sequent shipments Mr.. Cox got the
benefit Of the greatly reduced
freight rate and | have not heard
of the railroad complaining that
the rate put in effect by the COM
mission worked any hardship"
Yesterday the organ OF the South
ern Railway, without stating that tn
published in the New
and Observer, was an interview witt
Mr.. Brown had the following:
1T has been charged by the
News and Observer that Mr.. Cox
appeared before the State Rail-
road Commission some years ago
and forced the Scaboard Air Line
to refund him $500. This Is alb
solutely false, as Mr.. Cox is him.
self authority for the statement
that he never paid the Seaboard
Air Line as much as $50 I'm his
life. He says he. never asked
them for a cent, and that he never
received a cent from them In his
life. And he adds that III he We're
today going to engage In business
with their line he would much
prefer to make rates with their Of
ficials than a government COM
mission"
A reporter yesterday called to Sc
Mr.. Brown at the Corporation Com
mission office, showed hi mthe articl
n the Southern Railway organ, an'
MIR. Brown said
MY statement to the reporter in re
gard to the overcharge was as follows
And subsequently an oyercharge 0
S55S.14 was refunded on account o
1vercharges on shipments to mills 10
Gated at Sanford, and on all subse
quent shipments Mr.. Cox got the bene
tit of the greatly reduced freight rate.
'"rhe case of J. Elwood Cox agains
the Seaboard Air Line Railway is re
ported on page IT'S OF the Commits
sioners' Report for the year 1901. Il,
reference to the record OF proceeding
10, 1900, Mr.. j. Elwood Cox filed
with the Commission, alleg
ng excessive freight rates ON rougf
ogs, such as dogwood, hickory, per
simmon and gum, over the SeaboarC
Air Lines roads, and asking the Com
mission to establish the same schedule
Of rates as was in effect over the
southern Railway; that unless th'
Commission could secure the Feduc
ion asked for, he would have to move
MS plants. He states that he was op
>rating, or had operated, plants a
Warrenton, Franklinton ans
sanford, all Of these on the line OF tn,
Seaboard Air Line Railway. Subse.
luently a mill at Sanford. operated
lnder the style of Clement Ross Man
Company, was made par
y to this suit.
"The rates complained Of in par
we're as follows: Rough logs, carload
10000 pounds minimum, 20 miles
,11.05; rough logs, carload, 40.00(
pounds minimum, 40 miles, $3.50
,ther distances in same proportion.
after hearing before the Commits.
ion, in which considerable testimony
vas taken, the Commission issued ar
,rder granting the following rates
Rough logs. carload, 10000 pound,
minimum, 20 miles, $500; rough logs
.arload, 10000 pounds minimum, Al
niles, $500; other distances in Iiks
THE Seaboard Air Line applied tc
he Superior Court from the order oi
he Commission and the record oi
ighty-two typewriter pages was sem
0 the Superior Court Of Wake County
The Seaboard Air Line Railway filed
'ond TO the amount Of 81 600 TO reim-
,urse shippers for such overcharges
IS would accrue pending the appeal
,eing the difference between the
reights charged or received and those
A.