The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-29
Many Lines Represented by Proml-
nent Officials.
INTENSE INTEREST MANIFESTED.
Bill Along Same Lines Passed by sen
ate at Last SeSsiOn-ActiOn BY House
nj That Time Blocked by Political
Influcnce-President Will Give the
Measure His Full Approval.
Especial to the Messenger.)

way regulation and rate bills by the
senate and house committees this at
ternoon, The senate chamber was,
packed with people. The following
railway officials were present: Presi-
dent Finley of the Southern and Vice
Presidents A. B. Andrews and Cup, |
General Manager Ackert, General
Counsel Thorn; Passenger Traffic Man.
ager Hardwick; Freight Claim Agent
Hooper and Comptroller Plant. Sea-
board officials: Second Vice President
Sewer, General Counsel Watts, Cen
eral Passenger Agent Ryan, General
b superintendent Hix; Atlantic Coast
Line: General Passenger Agent Craig,
General Superintendent Anderson: AS
sistant General Counsel Elliott. Dur
ham & Southern: Vice President Stags
L Traffic Manager Cheatham; Treasurer
Duke, General Counsel Fuller; Caroll-
ma & Northwestern: General Manager
Nichols. General Passenger Agent Raid.
Aberdeen & Asheb0rO: President Hen
nv Page; Norfolk & WESTERN: William
A. Guthrie; Raleigh & Southport:
President Mills. Senator Graham pre-
sided, Chairman YOunt, of the house
committee, setting with him. Speaker
Justice sat zeal Chairman Graham and
acted as grand inQuisitOr. Chairman
Graham said the question 10 be dis
cussed this afternoon was whether
! the passenger rate should be reduced
: and to what extent. President Flniey,
of the Southern was the first speaker
and made an excellent impression.
l. Speaker Justice piled him with cues
> lions. He said if the Legislature
would make the passenger rate three
y cents straight with no second class
, the Southern was willing tc accept IL.
He declared he could see NO reason q
reducing the rate to 2 ID cents here
He did not oppOSr the regulation OF
railways by the legislatures, but dlo
not believe in legislatures admins
terine railway affairs. The present
trouble is not of rates, but Of facll1-
ties, of business man OF producei
" reaching his market. He SAID tne
Southern had no financial connection
with the South and Western II while
i it had proposed TO build = line +
Marion to Johnston City, it had trlef
To get same strategetic parts IN tn
mountains but had not tried to lnJur'
the South and Western. Speaker Jus
tice read a letter from President Bar
of the Seaboard Air Line that q
-. could not build to Greensboro, as th1
would invite reprisals by the South
Il" ern Railway, but President Finle,
Or made oath that he had no knoWleds
of such a threat. He did not know
that A. B. Andrews or Henry Mile
we're Interested in the Asheville 4
Southern, intended as subsidiary roa
= to enter Asheville. Speaker Justic
|" said he had been Informed one Of tn
he Southern's superintendents had give
sh free tickets in order to evade the la
ed against free passes, to which Flnle
said he would like to know the tact
as this was a direct violation OF tn
company's rules. Speaker Justice di
u not give any Finley said h
ny could see nothing relevant in the lin
of questions Mr.. Justice was ask1n
as to the number of cross ties put II
eel Speaker Justice wanted to know il tn
yn company had not set aside large sun
n for buying cross ties. and then turne
n much of it into a surplus fund. II
on hen desired to know how much N
h Southern Railway had made out {
eli the people of North Carolina. Pres
,L NIL -roC aclyal hic co1ory hi
. begged to be excused. He begged [
ed be excused by saying that he did NJ
9s- get the salary President Spencer II
ne ceived because he declined this unit
ter he had proved himself to be "A Pres
dental Quality" but was getting on
he second vice presidents salary. He va
in asked what was Spencer's salary an
.er again asked to be excused. He sal
n. he would. if the entire committee Oh
his sired, give the salaries Of all otncer
ill Passenger Agent Ryan, of the Seaboal
ngi was the next speaker. He was
AS with figures about passenger rates
me various states. to show that in stat
Or where reductions had been made Il
orI increase in travel was not SO gre;
nstl as expected and that the loss 10 cor
nts panies was not made up. He W
complete his speech at the hearing [
morrow.
9TH This same committee tong
me- held a hearing on two bills, Graham
and Justices. regarding newspap
passes. Graham says his bill Is n
intended TO affect newspapers. Ju
ne tice a his bill puts newspapers
lof the same footing as other folks. II
III bill was the one mainly consider
Graham's bill is an interstate COZ
IN merce bill with provision that this sh'
ian - oo,e;r with the state law.
Sneeches were made by III. A. 10