New-York tribune., 1907-08-17
STTRPRISE FOR WITNESS
p :TE TfE-IRENG GOES on.
North Carolina Legislators Pu--Ic
Roads Expert.

George L Evans. fourth division superin-
=rnr Of the Louisville & Nashville Railway
- tho chief witness yesterday At the hearing
: +be <orth Carolina rate law which is being
.-r7,c+ed by ex-Judge ". A Montgomery. ot
xo-,h Carolina. sitting as special master. in the
o47ces of the secretary Of the Southern Railway,
Al No 50 Broadway
Tho Southern's lawyers regarded Mr.. Evans
en- EXPERT on certain lines Of railroading ana
=. hin, on 2 d witness who could throw COLI
.5s-ahle light upon present conditions con-
,o-ri-g railroad management and operation in
,,e southern state Before he through Mr..
rams mas forced 10 admit that there We're
--a-,- railroad matters unknown to him. At first
80 were some doubts about Mr. Evanss
..1i6os-ions 10 testify as an expert. but the
.,asisr finally ruled against the state.
Thor Nr Evans proceeded 10 testify, saying
,,s- with the enforcement Of the 214-cent rate
-oa7 constructed as the Southern in North
.-.,,ir,s would practically have to give up oper-
80 The witness said. further. that it costs
&c for local traffic than 10 carry through
.-.+zo in n hich statement he supported the tes-
..-,onv given Thursday at the hearing by Mr.
o. North Carolina lumber merchant who
- cne time was president of the Seahoard Air
Line.
~ t-vsrs was cross-exauined by State Sen
IL .
,-,- Walter L Daniels. OF North Carolina, on
,ots1f NJ The state and he asked this question:
..ro,l have said that local traffic service costs
-,ore - maintain than general state traffic Is
that So
YES vas The reply. and I mean it costs
,o-A 70 stop a train a every station than il
does n make run. say. Of one hundred miles
'..zreu. if YOU didn't stop your trains at all
., way stations You would lose patronage
to-b from the passenger and freight traffic
- that So, Afr Evans said this was true
z. J Justice. Speaker of the House OF Repre-
s,,-a-i,,,s Of the state. then examined the wit
ness
.-1ovr- Mr.. Fvars.- began the inquisitor. you
have said here that your knowledge of railroad
ing had been gained solely as an employe Of the
1ouis,-illa & Nashville Railroad Now, can you
,,nscier71io1slv use this knowledge to tell us
-,;,-e .of the business OF the Southern Rail
way Company?
Counsel for the Southern Immediately OBJ
5er,ed and for time the air was overcharged-
Finally a ruling by Master Montgomery cut
short the nordy storm
vae drawing toward the close Of the morn
,,g session when NIr Justice sprans his sur
-r5sa You viii insist" said the examiner,
.1be, ,o1,r experience entities You to give an
.rer, oir7ion on all matters pertaining TO rail-
-o.ding and 10 the Southern Railway Company
in particular"
Il Do" was the reply
Then ten Us why. if I should ship hardware
n Greensboro. N C, the last ia miles ~
-hs 5or7-rev should not be cheaper than the llFS'
IL miles Of This same journey. If. as you sly
1onzer hauls with fun cars are cheaper IN ol'ei-
s,ing than empty cars on short runs
i cant answer that question, for l 40 no'
uanf 10 81, here as an expert. said MI EN ans
The sT.e.ia1 master asked the witness II he
rid nor want 10 withdraw his earlier s'a'eilei''
shoBr feing an expert, and the witness Ni'dIS
rerlied: No. let il stand
- -l7e afternoon session the witness was
asked on what he based his objections 10 the
following on: Of the law regulating pdSStl7''
7-sfHc in North Carolina 10 two cents a h'iie'
sns ~ replied: "on information / have re-
ceived."
De sneeff5c and tell Us on what Information
ra5d NJ Justice. The witness haty aoiili'.
,.s, re could not say Neither could he give
any detailed facts as 70 the amount o1 pusi"e99
carried on by the Southern Railroad
Don't YOU know asked Mr. Ju7'lee' t'a
tho gross earnings Of the Southern Hallfodu 4a,
wear from operating trains on all hhes III -'oi
,-.rol;,s ,,,are 81 9s. and don't you know that
tram : mile. and don't you know that the tolaI
earnings en- all it's lines in ali states when
oTera-ing. were 81 - per train mile ana o"h
ven know that the total expense on al us 4iiieS
vas 81 II per train miller
Mr. Evans had nothing to say
-.Wnere Goes the counsellor get the lac's'
asked counsel ,.,.....
.F7-o-, this book" said Mr.. Justice, exhibiting
q hinge volume for the first time
-r want that book said Mr. Thorn
You can't have it, said Mr. Justice and
will not be catechised by you" Captain Thorn
didn't get the book.
What does it NATTER" said eX-Juose "nep-
rsrd. IF our figures are not correct. we can
hurt you: but We Will prove our hsuie9 "''
correct
Russell Harding, former vice-preslcenl OF 'iie
Missouri Pacific. and now resident OF TINS city
followed Mr. Evans into the witness chalf- ms
testimony was along the same line as tfla' o.
ferr5 bv the preceding witness The nearing
will be resumed this morning
npD X