The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-08-15
CORPORATION COMMISSION
TO DECIDE TRANSFER CASE
RICHMOND, VA. ST.

hlCHMOND, VA, Special.-Whe-
Their railway officials can or
Sanize u transfer company and grant
themselves the exclusive right to So
licit on railway property and check
baggage from the homes of their pa
irons to destination will soon be set
tied by the State Corporation Com
mission, when it renders it's decision
on the petition recently brought by
w. G. Cosby, of this city, against the
Richmond Transfer Company.
In the case of the Peoples Trans
Ter Company, of Lynchburg, against
the Long Transfer Company the Com
mission decided against the so-called
monopoly, deciding that there should
be no discrimination especially when
prices were forced upward, and as the
local case involves some of the i'm
pOrtant elements or the Lynchburpr
controversy many who have Interested
themselves in the case are inclined
to the belief that a similar decision
will be handed down here
Mr.. Cosby sets forth i'm his petition
that prior to 1891 he operated trans
Ter company here. but that in NOVem-
Der OF that year the Richmond Trans
fer Company was organized and as n
result of what he alleges to have been
unfair methods caused him great
financial loss.
or the eight inCOrpOratOrs and di-
rectors of the Richmond Transfer
Company five were. according to the
petition, railway officials. the local
railways owning the stock of the trans
Ter company and virtually control
ling its affairs"
There have been changes in the di-
rectorate of the transfer company The
officers and directors are now as fol-
lows:
E. d. Hotchkiss. president: w. It.
~ J"r 1 secretary and treasurer; J.
NJ. Dunn, superintendent. Directors
Mr.. Hotchkiss. r. \. Cary. j. +. Coz.
g +. Potts. w .. Warthen. J. /
Leake and G. y. Wingheld.
Mr. HotchkiSs is general freight
agent of the Chesapeake ana Ohio
Railway.
Mr.. Cox is auditor Of the Richmond
fredericksburg and Potomac Railway
MT. Potts is assistant treasurer of
the Chesapeake and Ohio.
MI Warthen Is assistant general
and Ohio. N''NS
Mr.. Lcake is attorney for the Rich
mond' fredericksburg and Potomac
hallway.
The petition filed by Mr.. Cosby do
clares that the railway officials grant
ed To themselves as transfer company
directors the exclusive right to So
hcit on incoming trains and on rail
way property-in stations and depots
u claims that the railway officials
VIII not allow any other company 10
solicit on railway property or ON
trains.
driver employed 10y the Richmond
Transfer Company can call for n
trunk and check il To its destination
No employe of any other companV.
the petition sets forth. can check bac-
gage To destination.
Before the Richmond Transfer
Company was granted its exclusive
privileges the price for delivering "A
trunk, says the petition. was twenty
I'VE cents. y suit case would he de-
liNercd in any part Of the city for
hfteen cents; two suit cases for twen-
ty-five cents.
Being in position to control the
transfer business. the Richmond
transfer Company. SO the petition
says. has raised the prices of delivery
from 33 per cent To 40 per cent.
Moreover, il has n sliding scale. the
petition declares, by means Of which
lower prices are sometimes charged to
meet competition. The result of this
it is said, is that those unfamiliar with
conditions not infrequently have to
pay excessive prices for the delivery of
their baggage.
Many of the charges are denied bv
the Richmond Transfer Company i'm
exhaustive statements filed with the
commission. Hearings and arguments
nave been heard by the commission
and the final decision is now being for
mulated. 1t Will probably be an
nounced as soon as Commissioner II.
X. Prentis. who is out Of Richmond on
Il snort trip, returns to the city.