The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-06
Special State Examiner VIII
 Examine All Accounts
BY ORDER OF THE STATE
Louisville and Nashville and South and North Agree to the Inspection. Willingness of Roads Is
 Surprising To Some.
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Montgomery, May 5.-(Special)-T books of the Louisville and Nashville rail- road and the South and North railroad are to be examined by an auditor ap- pointed by the state of Alabama. in re- sponse to an order made by the railroad commission several days ago. Every fea- ture of the operating problem will be in- vestigated with view to ascertaining the reasonableness of the freight and pas senger rates now being charged and to find out whether or not the roads could with justice to themselves and the peo- pie make reductions.
 The Mutual Audit Co. of Louisville will have the matter in charge, c. w. Hillman being the accountant in charge. The or der is to turn over to him, his assistants or any other duly authorized person or persons, all the books, accounts, records, contracts and documents that he may have every advantage for a thorough in- spection of the affairs of the companies so far as both intra and interstate busi- ness in Alabama is concerned. As a re- suit of this order, in fact, the work of the inspection is now going on, by and with the full consent of the two traffic lines.
 General Inspection.
 The time embraced in the inspection is from June 30 1905 to the present prac- tically bringing it to the end of the fiscal year. which passes with May. Inspection is to cover the following and any other essential points: Maintenance of way and equipment, transportation and general ex- pense. expense of operation on inter- state traffic and on intrastate traffic in the state, operating revenue from all lines in Alabama on both inter and intrastate business; total revenue from all other sources, the facts specifically set out in section of house bill No. AS, which in- clude prohibition of discrimination and many other offenses that are bad for the public.
 The agreement on the part of the rail- roads for this examination came as some what of a surprise for the reason that the same thing was only recently refused in the state of Florida. The inspection is made by virtue of a new law and will prove of great value, the officers think, in the progress of the fight now being made to secure a reduction of freight and passenger rates in the state. As the off cials of the traffic lines seem to be per fectly willing to the look-in it is re- garded as certain that valuable data will be secured.
 Seek Valuation.
 Another order of general interest is that No. 15, which seeks to secure the values of all the rail lines in the state by sworn statements Blanks are being sent out upon which reports are to be made GOV ering the cost of construction, what would be the cost of restoring lines, value of equipment and accessories and much other information. Out of this 1t i5 thought the commission will be able to get at the actual comparative value of the various roads of the state, that basis may be had for the future regulation of the rates.
 Orders have been issued allowing the closing of the agency at Gaynor on the Central of Georgia and at Hardwlck, on the Seaboard Air Line. The question of better depot facilities for the Louisville and Nashville at Attalla, and the Central of Georgia at Lafayette. is yet open. This is also so of the complaint made of inadequate equipment and service on of Tombigbee Valley, which has been in the archives of the commission for several weeks.
 To Sue Railroad
 Attorney General Garber will begin suit right away to compel the Louisville and Nashville and the Central of Georgia railroads to obey recent orders of the railroad commission. The first is alleged to have failed to restore the Anniston- Gainesville passenger train recently taken off, and to provide a platform and flag station at Corduroy. The second is charged with having ignored an order to assemble cotton for compresslng at Union Springs.
 The penalty for these failures, if the law should be sustained, is as much as Si 000 for each offense. It will be inter csting to watch the outcome, as the fate of more of the new railroad laws Will be tested The roads claim that they can take off trains doing interstate business at will The commission denies that this can be done, as it reduces passenger serv- ice in the state, which is not desired. In the past depols and platforms have been provided on order and the failure to build at Corduroy has caused some surprise
 The situation at Union Springs is pc culiar. The local compress is said to be out of the combination thought to be on among the congresses Of the state and to have the support in every way of the rail lines. For the reason that the Union Springs plant is not in the combine, it is said, the Central of Georgia will not give it compress advantages Hence
 order. The railroad people say it K thing less than an order for them tA ,tronize the Union Springs com prA