The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-04
RATE HEARING CASE RESUMED
Warm Discussion Between coun'
sci for State and Railway.
Several Witnesses Examined on Part
of the State-EffOrtS t. Prove
That High Freight Rates Were
Responsible for Small Volume of
Business.

Raleigh, N. c., October Among
witnesses examined in the rate hear
ing were G. H. Ireland, w. c.. Balm.
F.. A. Brooks, Mr.. Hunt, w. 5.
Diffee and E. w. McNairy. The
states point was to prove high freight
rates responsible for small volume
Of interstate business and thai these
high rates drive people to buy from
other states from which rates are
cheaper into this state than they do
on interstate business. A number of
striking examples of this were showH
The evidence was further to show
that growth of enterprises along the
Southern railway is hampered by
high rates and by inadequate trans
p%ortation facilities, including short
age of cars. II
The afternoon session was devoted
to argument on a motion by Justice
for the state to continue the hearing
until the state can have an oppor-
tunity to see the books of the South
ern for a number of years past. There
was a long, warm discussion in which
Justice and Aycock spoke for the
state and Thorn for the Southern rail-
way. Aycock said that on the 18th
day of March, when the rate bill pass
ed, the Southern knew quite we'll it
was going to fight the law; that it
began right then to get together ma
terial for that fight; that it and it
alone had access to all records. that
it alone knew what was the cost 0:
operation and everything else as re-
CARDS the conduct of the road; hat
the state did o know these things
land of course depended upon the
records of the railway to find them
out; that there is vast difference be-
tween looking into books Of private
corporation and those of a quasi
public corporation like railways or
any other common carrier; that the
Southern had complete knowledge Of
everything and knew whether the
rate was confiscatory of not; was
master of all the figures, yet the road
turns upon the state and asks why
it is not ready to try now. he leg |
islature acted On reports made by the
road. Far from being confiscatory, |
the railway is making ten per cent at
least. It's business is increasing n !
So are its profits. The railway began !
by fighting the law and challenging |
the state and thus invited examina-
ton.
The state desires t have the ex-
animation made by it's experts who
are to be as good as those Of the
railroad: there ought not be haste
abut the matter. Aycock concluded
asking when were defendants
by the testimony OF plalnun.
They must find Out things for them
selves.
Thorn ridiculed what he termed Ay-
cocks haste, saying in July in the
superior court before Judge Long,
when Thorn desired time, Aycock con
two hours delay a generous
allowance. that Aycock had put who
and spur to him July, Thorn said he
had the hardest time of his life since
this rate matter came up.
Special master reserves decision I'M
til tomorrow.
Representatives Of the state in the
Southern Railway passenger rate case
low being heard here before Special
Montgomery say they expect
First Vice President Andrews Of that
road to be put on the witness stand
tomorrow, also Business Manager
George Crater, of the Raleigh Evening
This evening L. S. Marshal Dockery
served another subpoena in the
Southern railway rate case, on J. B.
dartin president Of the Martin Hos
cry Mill here, and for many years
With the Seaboard Air Line. /