The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-04


I1antic Coast Line, Which Will obey the
new law on and after August 18th,
pending final adjudication OF the suits
In the court OF last resort, may not
face the same situation hecause OF the
/ fact that they traverse more thickiy
populated section. a test or trial OF
one month Will disclose whether or not
tho rate Is confiscatory, us claimed
/ Not all OF the people in this city
arc In favor Of the reductions They
| have commended that the bill was passcd
lby the General Assembly without in-
yestigation similar to that ordered In
!NirEinia, and they did not take Kind.
lily to the proposition because of the
eloment OF politics which entered into
| the general discussion In both branches
of the Legislature Moreover. they
point to tho fact that two Senrs ago
1.-THE Legislature defeated the 2 20 cent
bill, Which was followed by two yeacs
OF unusual activity In railroad building.
So far az cnn be ascertained here to-
day, oil building plans have been sus-
pended except Oh those ltnes which
could not AFFORD to throw away the
half which had been completed. VI
40 Cut In Intcrstntc 1tatc.
In tile event that tho two-cent ratio
leecoines effective In Virginia before
1.-The appeal OF the railroads to the
lfederal court IL withdrawn, the fnter-
! state Commerce Commission Will hard
lily ordcr Il reduction In charges be-
4 tween virginia ana Carolina points.
5ii,is will follow, however, II the state
\ laws nre upheld. II the order Of tho
l Virginia Corporation Commission should
4 be published for four consecutive
| weeks, as required by the Constitution.
i the Scaboard for instance, while obey
ling in both States. would refuse to
igivc a cheaper ticket between Rich
.Fnond and Raleigh. The present rate Is
$3.50.
] IT would be cut to the neighborhood
.ltnf s3.60 on tWo-cent basis In Vir-
4 sinia and a two and one quarter cent
.i.bnsis In North Carolina. The railroads
4 will not give travellers the benefit or
ltiiis difference for the time being, al
Though they are free to admit that 1t
Twill be ordered by the commission at
A washington IL the two statutes are up
1 held, Just now passengers are buy
ing tickets to the State limo.
Want Sccond-Clnsn Fare.
I North Carolina was about the only
State with first and second-ciass ac-
Recommendations, but the Seaboard, the
4 Norfolk and Southern and the Ashc-
4 hero and Aberdeen have discontinued
The latter and the other roads Will do
4 the same after August Sth. Nearly all
i short tickets sold heretofore on our
4 line We're second-class," said Sea-
|. board man to-day, and there has been
Il some demand for them since July LIT.
! People travelling in the second Glass
4 car feel that they should have re-
/ duction Of one cent mile. the same
as frst-class passengers, but that is
Il matter with which the railroads
n have nothing to do" ~
scnbonrd Position Different.
4 More attention has been given to the
!. record of the Seabonrd Air Line for the
reason that the. company occupies a
position In North Carolina somewhat
j. different from that Of other transport
, tation lines Before the enactment OF
the two and nne-luarter cent Dill BY
. the Legislature, Seaboard lawyers and
officials made a powerful effort to have
j action deferred They put up a story
j which was regarded AS pftfful, but II
was lost amid the storm OF. hysteria
against corporations. From Norlina
to Hamlet the main line runs through
country but poorly settled. Stretch.
ssling from Hamlet to Rutherfordton. II
!, the mountains. on one side. and from
a Hamlet to Wilmington, on the coast
: on the other. 1t does not invade ter
. Iritory with the same area OF popula
!, ton as that OF the Southern or thu
!. Atlantic Coast Line.
!. There are branchs roads II touching
\ other points, Charlotte included, bu
& Raleigh might he looked upon as tn
. logical centre OF the System In Norti
81 Carolina. and the city through which
the largest volume of passenger bus
IS iccss moves. In view Of that, and 70
!. Ettke other considerations set fortl
y above, the loss in revenue here is no
= calculated to inspire tho management
prospects of better conditions IL
tbs future. The seaboard is the mali
E dependence OF the capital. IT Is tn
y only through line touching this city
z and II the receipts are lower under thi
y new arrangement the owners are show
I ling evidences Of worry even II they
z Will not publicly admit It.
!, The Political Chapter.
II The facts embodied in this article
( were gathered from reliable sources
: and with care, and deserve attention
G mainly for the reason that the TIVE
n sides of this question have not beer
explained in a comprehensive name
. Mt moment when the State was seizet
= with railroad hating mania. Anothe
= chapter, bringing out these hitherto
: unpublished Incidents, along with tn
political paragraphs. Will be printed
Iir The Times-Dispatch tomorrow.
: r. ". S..