The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-06
|COMER GIVEN A RECEPTION Nominee Attends Meet ing. DEFEATED IN CONTENTION Wants Rates On All Roads to Be
 Equal. Associate Members Favor Acceptance of Propositions from Smaller
 Lines and Override Wishes
 of Their President. 

The State Railroad Commission | with President B. B. Conner, Demo- cratic nominee for Governor, met yes- I terday for the first time in two months, and for the first time since | the Presidents successful candidacy for the nomination.
 Before tine business of the Commits sion began and before Mir. Conner got I to the office of the Commission, he had to run gauntlet of congratulations. Many of thein came from the Capitol workers. some of whom had not been ful candidate for Governor held a sort of levee before the Commissions work began. Tn speaking of his recent cam paign he made 1t clear that he was harboring no grudges, nor was he de- slrous of keeping alive any dissen- sions.
 Both the Associate Commissioners. Hon. W. c. Tunstall and Hon. W. T. sanders were present at the meeting. The Commission was in session nearly all day. although but few mat ters of importance came up for discus- sion and action. The major portion of the Commissions time was occupied In dlsposing Of questions that were brought to the attention of the Com mission through correspondence. Chiet in interest of the questions which called for action by the Com mission, was the approval Of the tar if rates oal the Atlanta and St. An- drews Bay Railroad and the Oak Grove and Georgetown Railroad, These are short line roads now under process of construction. one in East Alabama and one in West Alabama. Only few miles of either road is completed, but upon each there are several stations. These stations have had rate made for them by the roads which Is considerably in excess of the average rate of the State.
 In submitting the tariff sheet, the officials of the company admitted that the rate was higher than upon the old and established roads, but contention was made that the only reason for the granting of the rate on the uncom- pleted road was the advantage that 1t would be to the stations now touched by the roads.
 Mir. comer objected to the approval of the rates. He contended that the rates on the short lines in the state and on the uncompleted lines should be uniform throughout the State. He contended that there was a wide dis parity in the rates that prevailed on the short lines, disparity that should not exist
 On the other hand Associate Com missioners 1unstall and Sanders were of the opinion that the railroad of1- cials had proved their case. and their claim that the granting of a rate, al. though 1t was higher than on the old roads, was favor to the people liy- ing along the uncompleted lines. It was their opinion that under the cir- cumstances, the rates were fair and equitable. The rates were therefore approved by the Commission. The brief discussion was conducted in good feeling and good humor
 number of new depot matters were pending, but in most of these cases, the questions went over until the next meeting of the Commission.
 Towns interested in applications for new depots were Marbury, Loneview. Saginaw. Pelham and Carpenter. Ex. cept as to Carpenter the depot matters went over until the next meeting of the Commission.
 There was some discussion of tha condition of the road bed of the Cen trai of Georgia at Samson. It was claimed the drainage was insufficient. and that conditions existed that should be rensedied. This question. however. was passed over until fine Commission shall meet again.
 Notice was given that the rate agreeable to the Commission from Franklin. Tenn. via Selma to inc West, had been established.
 The Commission adjourned at E o'clock until the October meeting.