The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-19
WANT Low RATES
ON GROUND Lime.
Farmers Have Hearing Against
Railroads Before State Cor
poration Commission.
ROADS ARE FIGHTING HARD
Array OF Counsel Appcars-Dcny
Agreement at Governors
Conference.

Farmers who desire lower rates for
the transportation Of ground lime
stone for agricultural purposes wore
given hearing yesterday before the
state Corporation Commission. Three
witnesses were examined, and the com
mission continued the case until this
morning at 10 o'clock IL is under
stood that two moro witnesses will
be put Oh the stand after which nrgu-
ments of counsel VIII be had.
me defendants are eight Virginia
railroads. The Virginia State Farm
ers' institute, Inc. desires an order
from the Corporation Commission re-
curing them to put into effect tho
same low rates on agricultural lime as
nave already been adopted by others
OIL the leading roads OF the State.
Expect Big Tonnage.
Behind the proposition seems to DO
anticipation Of the time when the State
may engage on large scale in tho
production OF ground limestone. To he
sold to the farmers of Virginia at cost
Al present the product forms ONLY n
Smaii part of the business of tho rail
'ohus. Dill was passed by tho Lor
stature last winter authorizing the
state to operate a lime grinding plant
uE CONVEX labor but this is a. present
tied up In the courts. where proceed
inss brought by lime manufacturers
were heard months ago, but have moi
yet been decided
Al conference held at the CanIto1
IN 1911. at the instance of Governor
Aianh' II was agreed between certain
.aiiroaos ana the farmers representa-
yves mat very low rates shou,d ho
put in effect. Some of the ,oad;no
roads carried out the agreement mo-
lady the Norfolk and Western tho
chesapeake and Ohio and the Rich.
mond' Fredericksburg and Potomac. II
was the general impression thar aII had
oeeh parties TO the understanding, hut
this is now denied
me existing proceedings were insti-
tuteq against the Atlantic Coast Line
inc Baltimore and Ohio, the Lou;sviI1a
ana Nashville. the Norfolk Southern
the New York, Philadelphia and Nor.
Loih' the southern. the DanvilIc and
western and the Seaboard Air Line
Whlle It was admitted that the South :
ern and the Danville and Western have
lowered their rates on this conmoditv,
II was stated that they are not az Ion
us those of the other roads, and not
low enough. A'0'
Mr. Davis on Stand
The first witness when the cose va.
called yesterday was WestmorelonI
Davis. of Leesburg, president of tho
Virginia State Farmers Institute. who
testified TO the facts set forth above
ana to the necessity of ground lime
regarded the rates on the roads made
parties defendant to be unjust and
prohibitory.
The other witnesses OF the day were
L. Green, freight traffic manager OF
the Southern Railway and James Men
Zies freight traffic manager of the At
lantic Coast Line. They presented
complicated and interminable tables of
rates, showing the difference in length
Of haul and demonstrating the differ
ences between rates on ground limo
stone and those on brick, fertilizers
and other such products. They did not
think Mr.. Daviss figures did justice
to the OCCASION
Charles v. Meredith and Ernest A.
Gray are the attorneys for the Vir-
Einia State Farmers Institute, and At
torney-General Samuel w Williams is
in attendance in the interest of the
Commonwealth. which is the complaint
ant, at the relation of the farmers
The Baltimore and Ohio is represented
by Rudolph Bumgardner and William
G. Coleman; the Southern by Robert b.
Tunstall. Jr.; the Danville and Western
by Eugene Withers; the Atlantic Coast
Line by William b. McIlwaine: the Sea-
board Air Line by General Freight
Agent l.. T. Chaloner. Mr.. Withcrs
made a brief statement regarding the
position of his road.