The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-07
WANT LOW Rates
FROM RAILROADS
Farmers Petition for Order
Granting Freight Concessions
on Ground Limestone.
SAY AGREEMENT NOT KEPT
Conference Called by Governor
Mann to Secure Cheap
Rates.

II Application was made yesterday
i morning TO the state Corporation Com
II mission for an order compelling GER
\ tain railroads in Virginia to put into
\ operatios low rates fOr the transpOr-
tation OF ground limestone TO farmers
I of this state. The petitioner is the
! Virginia State Farmers Institute
! Westmoreland Davis. president; b.
| Morgan shepherd. secretary; Ernest a.
Gray. attorney.
The railroads affected are the At
lantic Coast Line the Baltimore and
( Ohio. the Louisville and Nashville. the
( Norfolk southern. the New York, Phil
adelphia and Norfolk. the Southern
ana the Danvile and Western. The
/ last two named have made a rate on
] the product. but the petitioner claims
J that il is not low enough.
Conference Was Held.
Feeling that the transportation
rates on ground limestone In Virginia
/ were almost prohibitive. Governor
Mann in September. 1911, called a
meeting of representatives of the rail-
roads and Of the farming interests of
/ virginia in the Senate chamber. The
I matter was gone over and the impor-
lance of ground limestone TO the
| farmers was discussed and agreed to.
AS n result. the railroads entered into
I a tacit agreement TO make rate
which would average around a half
/ cent per ton per mile for hauling this
J product II was stated that the roads
| would have to agree among them
selves as to switching charges. ana
that later tariffs would be published.
According to the petition filed yes
terday morning. il was generally
understood that. the railroads Of the
State would stand by the agreement
and that the desired rates would
/ shortly be promulgated.
/ II is further set forth that rates
We're made according TO agreement by
/ the Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac. the Virginian, the Norfolk
and Western. the Chesapeake AMI Ohio.
the Washington and Old Dominion. and
the Carolina. Clinchfeld and Ohio.
Rates Not satisfactory.
| The Southern and the Danville and
| Western made and published a rate on
! ground limestone. but the farmers be-
| lieve that II is TOO high and that it
| does not conform to the agreement.
| The figures of the Norfolk and West
/ crn, it is stated. are satisfactory. and
/ il is desired that an order be issued
! requiring the railroads OF the State 70
| adopt a similar tariff.
As an example the Norfolk and
western will haul ton OF limestone
100 miles for 60 cents. while the South
! crn and Danville and Western ask 20
cents. For POO miles the rates are
! 81 and Sis respectively.
The other railroads made parties de-
PENDANT in the proceedings have made
/ TO rates at ali for ground limestone,
! and it comes in q a very high tariff
/ under general classification.
| The Corporation Commission fixed
| upon February 3. at Il o'clock. as the
! time FOR a hearing on the petition In
! the meantime. the answers Of the rail-
| road companies will be received and
! fled.
1t is set forth in the petition that
! ground limestone IS a product of great
! value to the farmer. and that II l.
! equally effective with burnt lime. Oe-
J sides possessing some advantages over
! it, including greater ease in shipment.
! This proceeding brings to mind the
! state law providing for the establish =
1 uient Of lime grinding plants TO be
| operated by convict labor. Injunction
! proceedings were brought by lime
/ burners Of this State to prevent put
/ ting the statute into operation and
rbe case was argued some time ago
+ i..fore Judge r. Carter Scott. in the
! Circuit Court OF the city Of Richmond.
I where a decision Is awaited