The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1907-08-29

Hearing In New York.

The hearing of the Southern Rail.
road rate case is being held before
special master, Judge w. A. Mont
gomery, in New York and some in
teresting features of railroad inter
est have been brought out. The fol.
lowing spicy paragraphs appeared in
a dispatch to the Baltimore Sun:
George E. Evans, fourth division
superintendent Of the Louisville and
Nashville Railway, the first witness
Of the day. testified that he began
his railroad career as a telegraph op-
orator and advanced through thirty
six years of hard work to his present
position. The Southern's general
counsel, Captain Thorn, asked Mr..
Evans whether he could testify as to
the cost of operating a railroad as
interstate as well as intrastate, and
also a through-state line. Mr.. Evans
nodded in the affirmative, but James
E. Sheppard, who appears in the in
terests of Governor Glenn and the
State authorities, objected.
''The witness, l believe, has not
yet qualified as an expert" said Mr..
Shepherd, "and l want that answer
stricken from the record"
The special master decided against
the State, letting the answer go in,
to the evident satisfaction Of the
Southern's attorneys.
SAYS ROAD COULDN'T OPERATE.
Mr.. Evans then said that with the
enforcement of the 2 Ia cent a mile
rate, a road constructed so peculiarly
as the Southern in North Carolina
would practically have to give up
operations. The witness said it
costs more for local traffic than to
carry through traffic, corroborating
the testimony of Mr.. Barr, the
North Carolina lumber merchant,
who at one time was president Of
the Seaboard Air Line.
Asked on what he based his OBJ
jections to the following out OF law
regarding passenger traffic in North
Carolina to 2 IA cents a mile, Mr..
Evans answered:
ION information l have received"
'Be specific an tell us on what in
formation" said E. ]. Justice, who
is Speaker of the House of Represen-
tatives of the State, and the witness
frankly admitted that he could not
say.
Don't you know" asked Mr..
Justice, that the gross earnings of
the Southern Railway last year from
operating trains on all lines in North
Carolina were S1.98 mile, and don't
you know that the total earnings on
all its lines in all States, when oper-
ating, were $1.58 per train mile,
and don't you know that the total
expense on all its lines was SLIP per
train a mile?"
Mr.. Evans appeared to be dumb
founded, and Captain Thorn jumped
to his feet.
"Where does the counsel get the
fact? want that book" said Mr..
Thorn.
you can't have it," said Mr.. JUS
tice, land will not be catechised
by YOU"
ADMITTED HE WOULD BE MISTAKEN.
Mr.. Evans said if the statement by
Mr.. Justice was correct, then he
himself was wrong earlier in the
day, when he said 2 IA cent rate
would bankrupt the Southern Rail-
way.
You still insist" said Mr.. Justice,
that your experience entities you
to give an expert opinion on all
matters pertaining to railroading
and to the Southern Railway Com
pany in particularly
Il do" was the reply.
"Then tell us why, if l should ship
hardware to Greensboro, N. c., the
last ia miles of the journey should
not be cheaper than the first la
miles of this same journey, if, as you
say, longer hauls with full cars are
cheaper in operating than empty
cars on short runs?''
Il can't answer that question. for
| don't want to sit here as an ex-
pert"
At this the members of the State
committee, with Mr.. Justice, smiled,
and the special master asked the
witness if he did not want to with
draw his earlier statement Of being
an expert, and Mr.. Evans said, mo;
let it stand.'
Cross-examined by State Senator
VUoItor r Dapio1c IN behalf Of the