The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-11

Railroads had been chartered by the leg
islature between from 1894 to 1867 and
state control of the corporation charges
for public service expressly recognized in
the forms of the respective charters. For
example, the charter of the Montgomery
and West Point railroad conferred the
right to collect tolls on transportation
service, provided no charge on freights
shall exceed so cents per 100 weight for
every 100 miles and at the same rate for
a quarters or less distance" and pro-
yided the charge for passengers should
not exceed "6 cents a mile" In the case
of the charter of the Montgomery and
Mobile railroad, the tariff charged should
mot exceed % per cent net profit The
| charter of the Selma and Greensboro
railroad required that "a tariff of tolls
should be posted annually for the infor-
| melton of the public mot to be changed
for year." This charter was COM
| mended by the military legislature of
1865, limiting charges to cents a mite
for passengers. The legislature of Gov
ernor Lindsay's term, 1s7o-72, enacted
that no railroad accepting state aid
should charge more than 4 cents a mile
for carrying passengers, nor more than
% per cent higher rates for carrying in
trastate freight than they will for car
ryir.g through dnterstate) freight" The
next legislature (Attoney General 81 1872
"A, amended this act to change 4 cents
to cents and % per cent to so per cent.
The regular message of Governor Cobb
when entering upon his second term
1880 warned the legislature that the sub
iect of railroad legislation upon which
the body must enter was one at once
of grave responsibility and imperative
duty"
In the crisis of the state campaign
of 1880 a spirited call passed through the
state press upon the voters to unite in
demands upon candidates for circuit
Judge, chancellor, county commissioner
end above all, for the legislature" to
plecge themselves in favor of a state
railroad commission.
The senator from Montgomery county,
Colonel Daniel S. Troy, In less than GO
days after the August election, began the
publication in the daily Montgomery Ad-
scrtiser of carefully prepared and elabo-
rate series of articles intended to in
struct the members elect of the legisla-
ture. and inform the people of the ar
gument for state railroad commission.
The press overflowed into discussion
on both sides. President Newcombe of
the Louisville and Nashville system, John
s. Winter an able lawyer of Montgomery,
and a large number of intelligent citi-
zens were contributors to the contro-
versy. In this period announcement was
made recent greatly enlarged acqoi-
sition ky the Louisville and Nashville
system. Indeed this line had reached a
practical monopoly of the carrying trade
of Alabama in grain, meat, flower. etc.
Describing the situation. President New
combe exposed the facts that the Louis
vile and Nashville had acquired practi-
cal control OF the Illinois Central from
Chicago 10 New Orleans. that the sys-
TEN had connected various lines to give
II a route from St Louis to Savannah,
Vi here a line OF steamers to New York
came under its control. The line FROM
Louisville, through Alabama, connected
at Pensacola with steamers for Havana
In one direction, and Galveston in an
other direction President Newcombe ex-
planned that a train leaving New York
Saturday afternoon would reach Pensa-
cola to transfer passengers Monday fore
noon to the Gulf steamers. Up to this
time fruits from the tropics had gone
through New York to Chicago Now
| they would go to Chicago through Pensa-
cola, saving weeks time enroute. The
advantag of the recent reorganization
south were incalculable declared Pres
ident Newcombe. Northern railroads had
cost SO to build where southern roads
cost 81; northern roads were weighted
down with watered stock. where south
ern roads had no watered stock.
Contra. Colonel Troy said from his seat
in the legislature that at that very mo-
nlent there was a congestion of freight
for Montgomery Selma caused by the
refusal of the louisville and Nashville
to load the cars there. The Louisville
ard Nashville forced this freight to
await the river steamers for Montgom-
cry. The Louisville and Nashville was
offerded by the choice of routes from the
west which this freight had taken.
Mr. j. r. Rogers wrote q spicy letter
to the Advertiser from Union Springs.
urging the creation of a state railroad
commission. Mr.. Rogers was agent for
a grist mill. owned by a lady. The mill
cost s37500 TO build. On account of rail-
road determinations the net income had
fallen from $4,000 year to an amount in
sufficient to meet insurance and taxes.
Merchants in Nashville and in Columbia
Tenn. were so favored by the railroads
that they were delivering meal at Union
Springs from 3 to 6 cents the bushel less
than corn. The Union Springs mill had
received 81 car loads of corn from the
west but on account of railroad rebates
and other resorts to injure its business,
il had to sell the meal at s25.15 less per
car than the lawful toll for grinding
One of the most active and intelligent
opponents of the movement to create a
railroad commission was Mr.. John w.
Bapsley of Shelby county, notable is an
early railroad promoter and promoter of
general industrial growth. Mr.. Lapsley
wrote voluninousy in words of depreca-
tiur and fcrewarning. 1t is certainly
within the power of the legislature to
throw a daniper and even blight on
railroad enterprise depending on roads
in this state" insisted this veteran pro-
moter.
The intent of the public was stmu-
HOTELS AND SUMMER RESORTS