The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-22

pI5ssion was generally concedod 70 De productive in increased revenues to the railroads in the shape of releasing the rolling stock. provided the haul of cotton was of sufficient length. The Central of Georgia Railway Company, one of the defendants, own ga several of these interior oort,prcsses erected many years ago. which were among the first of these interior com presses to come into existence. They continued the operation of these press es until recent years, when they were leased afterwards becoming the nu- cleus around which swas formed the Atlantic Compress Company, q corpor- ation which Is operating through own- ership, or lease. practically all the compresses in Alabama.
 Since the origin of congresses, the system of handling cotton at the in- terior congresses has undergone va. rious developments. There are now three different methods in operation between the congresses and the rail- roads in the handling and transporta- tion of cotton. @
 'Tirst-The handling of local cotton under which is understood such cot ton that had its origin in the local markets wherever compress may be located.
 -second--cotton which Is shinned -~ through bills of lading to destination. This. cotton on route is stopped at compress points for the purpose of compression and is restored to the railroads after compression has been finished, to continue on it's way to des.
 Third--cotton which originates. or is bought at the smaller interior markets. and concentrated at compress points for the purpose of re-handling by ship pers and compression.
 Much Cotton at Small Towns. Inis latter system of re-handling cot ton originating at smaller points, has grown greatly in late years Such cot ton IS shipped from the smaller points 70 congresses, local freight charges Iostsnsibly being collected from point or origin to the compress point. But the buyer of such cotton has the privi- iege or asserting, ~classing and handling cotton received at the congresses in tnis manner, until he has collected a sufficient amount of cotton of uni form grades as suited for his purpose 70 reship the same to destination. He then tenders the expense, bills for the cotton he has thus received and in return the railroad at the compress point issues to him a bill of lading taking It's origin from the original point of shipment. The rate af srai=h. inserted n the bill of lading is the snrough 1te from the original point or shipment. and not from the compress point and upon the exchange of ex- pepse bills flor through bill of lading, the railroads refund to the shipper the amount of local freight charge he origi- naily has paid for transporting the cot, ton from the smaller points to be com press centers.
 It is necessary to state that no such concentration fa compress points, and that the purpose or concentration Is to economize roll ing stock and to facilitate and make possible the movement of the cotton crop. when the supply of cars would be insufficient to transport the vast traffic during the harvest season.
 z The evidence shows that each of the different railways concentrate cotton st Union Springs. and while the Union Springs Northern, and Seaboard Air Line, and their connection, perform the business at the Union Springs Compress in the manner as described in the foregoing. the Central of Georgia Railway Company. though concentrat- ing cotton at Union Springs. declines to receive from the compress cotton in compressed state. In other words the Central of Georgia will carry cot ton from smaller points to Union Springs, but refuses to have such cot ton compressed at the press located there, thereby declining to avail itself of the benefits to be derived from the custom of concentration. when carried out as designed or intended. It ships such cotton as 1t has hauled to Union Springs away uncompressed and has 1t compressed at other and competing congresses.
 DecIlnes to Give Testimony.
 The defendant. Central of Georgia Railroad. declined to offer any testi mony, participate in this hearing, presenting the following reason there for: That if the relief be granted in any respect whatsoever. prayed for, the result will necessarily be to de- crease the net revenue which the Gen. tral of Georgia Railway Company, now enjoys from hauling cotton out of Union Springs. and if that be true, the Commission. is enjoined by the terms of @ certain injunction issued by the United States District Court from granting any relief sought in the peti- ton.
 "The defendant Central of 0eorsia Railway Company would not, the Con- mission feels sure. after mature re- heetion, seriously urge the objection as presented, and the Commission will not here discuss the application of the said injunction to the subject matter of the complaint at issue. It is sum- cient IT tnelr oruers steer clear or any violation of its restrictions.
 fThe Commission will not at this time give consideration to that part of the petition which asks for differential in rates on compressed cotton, as there Is before the Commission in like petition In which all railroads within the State are joined at which hearing the ques- tion can be more fully gone into.
 I've Practices DiacIOsed.
 7 "As to the discriminative feature of the petition, there are two practices as disclosed by the evideuce subject to complaints.
 First. Concentrating from Union Springs to other compress points, and not permitting concentration from such points to Union Springs:
 Second. While under the semblance of allowing concentration privileges, the cotton in fact is not permitted to take the usual course. as at other concentrating points.
 "Concentrating at congresses is a great boon to the producers oe eot- ton. According to the system of let ting shipments of cotton go forward on original freight rates from small interior points to final points of destin- ation, every little way station becomes a cotton market of It's own, The buyers at compress points transmits his price daily to the small country place, and the producer can sell his pro- duet at a net price every day of the year in competition with the larger market: he saves the expense of stor- age, commissions and handling he had k-v SwS pu na at h a VuFa rA