The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-30
Southern Railroad Haras.
sed by Increased Charges
and Reduced Rates.
ROAD AND PEOPLE
MUST COOPERATE
Comptroller Plant, Of Southern
Railway, Points Out Inability
of Road to Improve Service
Under the Present
Hostile Con
ditions.

WASHINGTON. d. c., August 90
Comptroller Plant. of the Southern
hallway, was again subjected to sey-
eral hours close and vigorous cross
examination in the North Carolina rail
road rate case before Master in Cham
rery Montgomery. Speaker Justice, for
The State, conducted the cross-examina-
ton. and had not finished the inquisi-
tlon when the hour Of adjournment ar
rived.
Mr.. Justice failed In his effort to
draw from Comptroller Plant u state
lnent that he could determine with
mathematical accuracy the cost OF
doing an Interstate business in North
Carolina on the Southern Railway. Mr.
Plant did say. however, that he could
determine the minimum cost of doing
an intrastate business. The question
% the decrease IN the net earnings of
tbe Southern Railway was gone into
very fully.
Mr.. Justice asked Mr.. Plant II he
thought the decrease In the earnings
OF his company was due to conditions
peculiar to the present time or to con-
ditions which have come 10 be perma- :
nent- Mr. Plant replied that the South
crn Railway WAS confronted with two
things, which. if continued In, will not
result In very much Improvement in
the situation. Those conditions are, he
said. the constant demands for in
c.resses In wages OF employees, together
with an upward tendency III the price
of materials and desire on the part
OF the people or certain States to re-
ducc rates and impose what he be-
Iieyed TO be improper restrictions and
penalties on railroads. Unless the peo-
pie and the railroad work together
there would not be, he said, that meas
ure of success both desired. The net
results to the Southern system in the
future, he added. would depend very
largely upon the attitude of it's patrons
toward IL.
Local Trains Run at Loss.
III we have favorable conditions
along these lines" said Mr.. Plant, II
believe the business prosperity of the
country. traYersea, by-the' Southern Rail :
way VIII give .us SUFFICIENT increase in
nnr gross earnings to overcome the In
treases We are now called on to make
In wages and materials"
Mr.. Justice asked whether taking
into account only passenger trains in
North Carolina, that Is. through trains
from one point in the State to another,
ard local trains in the State, the South
ern operated those trains Mt loss"
Mr.. Plant replied: MY Judgment is,
that, including those local trains rum
ring on tn emain lines with the local
trains running ON the branch or local
lines. as distinguished from the through
Interstate passenger trains, there Is n
loss in tho local business, hut taken
as a whole, including the through pas
senger trains and the local passenger
trains, believe there Is a margin OF
profit in the business a whole"
Sharp TILT With Counsel.
\ sharp tilt occurred between Mr..
Justice and Mr.. Plant just before the
noon recess. Mr.. Justice asked Mr.
Plant If he could say how much more
ii would cost to carry a freight train
with passengers than without passen-
ln III ltrra, pnf pv,I gIa aho,.r
line. Mr.. Plant proceeded to answer the
question in his own way, but Mr.. JUS
tice insisted upon direct reply. Judge
ontgomery informed the witness that
he must answer "yes" or mo-" Their
Mr. Plant replied that the cost coulG
not be determined accurately.