Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-02
70 NORTH CAROLINA
WHY VIRGINIA GETS MORE FA-
voRABLE TREATMENT.
How Norfolk and Richmond Are Able
to Undersell Wilmington In the
Country Districts.

| In the opinion OF some experienced rail-
road experts Gov. Glenn of North Carolina
has very hard task on hand in attempting
to obtain for his state freight rates from
| western northern and eastern points equal
| to those enjoyed by the state Of Virginia.
The manner in which Virginia freight rates
were made more favorable than those ac-
| corded to North Carolina is shown by re-
| view of conditions leading up to the fixing
Of existing rates, and is said to contain an
explanation Of the apparent discrimination
against North Carolina.
Prior to the construction of the Norfolk
| and Western and the Chesapeake and Ohio
! railroads the volume of food products of
| every Kind going from the west to Norfolk
| was moved either by way of Baltimore and
! the Chesapeake bay, by the Pennsylvania
railroad via Cape Charles, or through New
YORK and by water. The result of these
part water routes was that Norfolk enjoyed
rates on that traffic not much above Balti-
more and Philadelphia.
When the Chesapeake and Ohio and the
Norfolk and Western reached the lower
chesapeake they were in a situation to
handle large share Of that traffic and, of
course, had to make at Norfolk the same
rates as were already enforced by the
northern railways. Both Of these roads
| saw mt to apply the same rate to the in
terror Virginia cities on their respective
| lines, instead Of making a higher intermedi-
ate rate as they might have done. There
fore, Richmond, Petersburg and other Vir-
ginia towns could handle such traffic as
cheaply as 1t could be handled at Nor
folk.
No Trunk Line to Wilmington.
But unfortunately for North Carolina no
direct line from the west reaches Whining
ton, which is the principal city of that
state. The result was that rates to Will
m1ngton have always exceeded the rates
| to Norfolk and Richmond by the local
charges of the north and south lines, which
were the delivering roads of that traffic.
The result of this condition Is that Will
mington is very much handicapped as
distributing point because the rate from
the west to Richmond, plus the local rates
to North Carolina towns, would be less
than the rate to Wilmington plus the local
rates to the same places. This difference
permits the Richmond wholesaler to sell all
! through the Carolinas and almost to the
door of Wilmington or Charleston wherever
the difference of rate controls the dis
tribution.
concerning this condition. but it has never
been possible for the>dealers in Wilmington
to secure relief. The Southern railway goes
ST. Louis and Cincinnati 1t must deal with
the roads over which that traffic reaches it.
Richmond, which is on nav1gable water,
gets low rates from the north Atlantic sea-
board on manufactured articles and gen.
eral merchandise, so that with reference
to traffic of that kind it has an advantage
over the coast states of the CarOlinas. The
Caroinas get some traf1ic by water at both
Wilmington and Charleston, but the lines
that go there are not powerful, and their
than the lines that go to Norfolk and Rich
mond. Even the water rates to Wilmington
and Charleston are higher than are the
water rates to Norfolk and Richmond.
Effect Of Rates on Business.
The conditions that confront North Caro-
lima in this case are declared to be a good
instance of the commanding effect Of the
freight rate in business operations.
In view Of the fact that North Carolina is
in the position she finds herself in respect
to these freight rates good many people
who are fully informed upon the operation
Of the railroads believe that it will be very
difficult for Gov. Glenn to force any re-
adjustment of rates in a way that will sat-
isfy the wholesalers of his state and permit
them to compete with Richmond and Nor
folk. 1t is these advantages that are look
ed upon as having built up those cities SO
greatly during the past ten years.
But the state Of North Carolina cannot
deal with the roads that handle traffic be-
fore 1t reaches the Southern, and because
of the situation that confronts that state
Gov. Glenn Is looked upon as facing very
difficult problem. 1t Is one that the inter-
state commerce commission has had before
It in various complaints and one for which
no relief could be found.
What the South Needs.
There are some men in high official posi-
ton in this city who regard the attacks
being made on the revenues of the Southern
railway as likely to prove unfortunate for
the SOUTH and particularly North Carolina.
I'm no place are railways more needed
to develop natural resources than in North
Carolina" said an official of high standing.
1.-The effort to secure a 2A-cent rate per
mile for passenger service by North Caro-
lima Is not encouraging to projects for raj
way construction, and makes efforts on the
part Of men to secure loans on railway
securities futile when the money Is to go
into such development What the south
needs today is better railway facilities.
They need more equipment, and millions of
dollars could be spent there with profit to
the railways and to the business interests
of the states alike, provided the earning
power of the roads is not too greatly inter-
fered with