The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-08-27
BEST IN THE SYSTEM

State Thar the Average of All It,
Ifur--Gro-s Injustice TO North
Carolina in Rates That Build Up
Trade Walls Against Our Wholesale
Markets and Compel Purchase from
Wholesale and Jobbing Houses in
Richmond and Iynchburg-Light
Thrown OH the involved Figures
Regarding Cost Of intra-state ana
Interstate Trafic-Vice President
T. Forced to Admit Facts OF Great
Importance to the States Conten-
tion-Lawyers Representing the
state Have the Best of the Arsu-
ment SO Far.
BY THOMAS j. PENCE
Washington. ID. g. Aug. 24-lh
examination of Nice-President open-
GER, of the Southern Railway in the
hearing of the North Carolina rate
case before Standing Master Mont
1on,erv was concluded today. The
witness gave redirect testimony and
submitted also to another cross-examl
nation. The feature of the day was
the crosse: -. nation pS
Mr.. Justice - 10 the cost of operation
of passenger trains. Mr.. spencer tes-
tilted that the cost was from 81 tic
SII4 per train mile.
Mr.. Justice wanted the S~outhern's
figures as to the cost of the operation
tf Messenger trains between Goldshoro
and Greensboro. Mr., spencer was al
unwilling witness, and could not &C
into details. Mr.. Justice began &c
figure, giving what he considered q
liberal allowance for the operation OF
a tWo-pasSenger coach ana q Two
baggage, mail and express coach tralr
from Greensboro to 6oldsporo' rs
made allowance for ice. porterage
etc. and figured that the operation OF
such a train cost the southern S44
This estimate did not include deprecla-
ton in equipment and interest OF
e~uipmen which Mr.. Spencer SAFE
could not be more han $12.30. FMS
made the cost of operating $66.64
sir. Justice figured that the receipts
o. such a train would be on an aver
aga at least S175. and that the PROM
Md be between two and three nun
C.c4 ner cent. He did not take into
~ ration the receipts from mai
ess in any of his figures.
~ COmntroller Plant, of the
So, ~ will AXE the stand He Ia:
~" san.as in nossession of tn,
ompun and it is predicted he will bt
on the stand four days.
Cost of Equipment Increased.
In his direct testimony Vice-Presi
lent H. s. Spencer. of the Southern
stated that the cost of railway engine:
had increased since 1898 as much a!
4o.l- Per een5; 81 = oant IA
rare no 88 ner cent and coal car.
1a2 &c nar cent He admitted tina
80 bar1oter Of 4h5e ea11inment hae
ir9nrcvaf and tha 4tn car capacity
fas haen en;ar~e or instance. tn,
Statement was ma- nat steel con
strrCtion. has take the place O
wood, in the manila re of many o
the present day ear The real in
crease he attributed 49,, the advanc,
IN a. nr;ao Of all n,ataria1s and +,
~ ino~aared woo Of Iahor Th,
nrioa If iabar he sajd bad steadi1,
advanced With each succeeding year.
In bis +~estirnonv MT Snencer sail
he had earef1I1v studied the cost 0
the operation of passenger trains ar
that the average cost per mile variet
from SO to LA. These figures EN-
brace all cost, including the rates 70
maintenance. As to local passenge
trains IN North Caroilna. ne sad IN
revenue from operation was not oVe
40 Genus per liIie- some Trains eai
most ana some less. WINE IN
Trains operated petWeen Greenspor'
ana Rale-gh are proHtaole, contlnues
Mr.. spencer, the local trains IN Nofti
Cafollha earn less on an average tnai
the cost Oh operation. me Wlthes
SAID II actually cost the Soutnerl
Il tunes to maui a ton ultra stat
IN North carolina as VIII
a similar haul for the whole system
Southern, Railway Earp;nos
Aoonhsi "oouaio VINO tooi
ny asi9 ~ ahu On russ eAAlllIlld
Ion, ehoeatoteo " SNOW oy ac'ua
IsuieS ~ha ne req earning cdpdcie
~ lhe ooutlleln Is IN North CaroIna
Geaeral counciI 1hon enoeaVofed q
Leao the lhqu1sltor OFT When ne calle'
LOT the gross North Carollna earning
Ior the hscal year ending june. 1906
'ahls l~h1oFrnatlon, the lawyer Tor IN
eoutnefH eeelareu' was IN the mana
ol me uelenaanIs: Mr. Woodar
saiu ~ NdIl'ea lhls tnIorInaton IRON
mi'nSs' "no, dl.ef leieillhs Z