The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-12
.MR DAvANT
T|.EST II. / TODAY .:|..I| !
Comptroller J. W.Cox,c Finishes
I'd ID and is 8Excuscd 1.-Two Ses-i
sions Of the Commission. ..
FER GIT TRAFFIC MAN NEXT 'Ili:. <
Will Be Examined First by Mr..
c. L. Cooke, Attorney for
## tie Norfolk and Western. ~


The Corporation Commission held two
long sessions yesterday, and heard Comp
troller COKE, 4 of the Norfolk and Western
Railway. further on cross examination
He concluded his testimony and was -ex-,
cused at $50 T. NJ. at3
Mr. BraxtonS had the witness all day,
& and asked him many hard questions con-
corning the conduct of railroads gener-5
ally and the Norfolk and Western in
Y particular. 5 9t IA iss$
MA Traffic Manager 4. s. 4 Davant. Of the
same road, will be the next witness, and
viii hardly complete his testimony this
week; the commission will adjourn to
morrow evening until July 3d.
The day was not one Of striking public
3 interest, though there was an able dis
cussion between Attorney Cooke for the
n company, and Mr.. Braxton, for the State;
Il over the question Of the net Searnings{o Of
4 the company on intrastnte passenger
business in Virginia for tho year ended
June 80. 1905, which witness had admit
u ted was done at profit. 5}s N e, 55
RYE Mr.. Cooke contended that a rate made
NJ SO low on freight as to require the COM
p,ny to haul 1T at n loss could not be
& Justified on the ground that the company
was doing another class Of Its business
at a profit. @ M
To Test Accuracy.
Mr.. Braxton replied, and contended
that Tor, the purposes OF testing the accu-
@racy OF the figures su omitted as to the
sEintrastate business in Virgi nia, and escer..
taning whether the freight business Is
actually done at a loss. e the passenger
business should be taken into account
4 He did not wish to force the company
TO do one class Of its business ut loss
81 because It was doing another at q profit,
II but he wished to have the data asked for.
mo ruling was asked for. but for the
present the statistics Were not forth
u coming. 3 rs fl =
Messrs Cooke Tand Braxton agreed.
Y however, that the matter go over, with
the understanding IL the statistics are
4 not produced, the latter shall have the
right TO make use OF the failure OF the
company to produce them. "a
Witness resuming, said that for ;he
year ended june 80. 1905, the sum Of
sS41 Al had been expended for better
ments In Virginia. All this was actually
ex pended and witness was asked to 81 p -
nit a statement of the items included IN
the sum. and he said he would do SO
ater.
Afternoon Session.
The afternoon session Of the commission
convened ut 3:45, and Mr.. Braxton con- con-.
tinued his cross examination OF Mr. Coke.
5ss Witncssi was asked great many elues-
lions MS to.yari6us mortgages carried by
4 his road on Its properties, and the law
Yer endured specifically for what pur-
noses the proceeds of each were usetl,
and how much was actually used IN
Virginia.
Tho witness was pinned down hard 70
N say whether or not the Norfolk ana
Western paid out the sl40oo.VoO given as
operating expenses during the year. e!'uea
June 40. 1905, before any considerable part
~ th,s amount had been collected from Its
patrons It took a long time to get me
matter Strengthened out, but finally ING
witness said no railroad could operate
without working capital.
He said further that his company usual'
" had q fund Of some three or four NIT
lions of dollars on hand for TINS pur-
pose. =, -,
"was there ever tlme" he was asked
"when your collections We're not so1''c-
what ahead OF your expenses
~ should say as general proposition,
that the collections are usually ahead
Had Hard Time.
Mr. Braxton was trying to hammer out
OF the witness the admission that III
apportoning the burdens OF the company
n the net, and not the gross, earnings
should be taken as the basis, but he
could not get him to say so. He con-
y tended that the gross earnings was the
proper basis, as there might not be any
net earnings
The witness gstoutly stuck to this cons
X tention, though the lawyer held him on
the point for long time.
& Witness was asked II he did not use
the gross earnings as the basis for ap-
u pnrtioning the taxes to Virginia 1ntra-
state business, as well ms for assigning
other burdens, and he answered in the
Affirmative
About o'clock Mr.. I3raxton started
hack over his voluminous notes, asking
further questions on various subjects,
and he brought smile from his very
courteous competitor. Mr., Cooke. by an
nouncing that he was quite sure he
Mould get through with the witness be-
Gore the end OF the days session.
"A loud clap Of thunder came shortly
afterwards, and Mr.. Braxton said, amit
the smiles Of all: II think we should ad
journ. don't want the end OF the world
10 come with all these railroad men sit
ting around me-" He proceeded, however
when calm followed. not seeming Il
fear the railroad attorneys under ordlnar.
conditions
The examination OF Mr.. Coke was com
pleted at $3.50. and Traffic Manages
will so on to-day.
Elects It's Officers.
Tho Virginia Building and Loan Com
pany. at It's meeting on yesterday, elsfte'