The herald., 1914-03-26

labored under since being taken over
! by its present owners. 1t is contend
ed that the freight and passenger
business done by the road has never
attained such volume as to enable
it to make money, and the action of
the Railroad Commission is deemed
arbitrary in the extreme 4 notice
was served on the corporation last
week, notifying it to Immediately
make certain changes prescribed by
the commission or cease operating.
Its officers were instructed to appear
| before the State Railroad Commits
sion at Baton Rouge yesterday at 10
a. m, to show cause why it should
not be fined from 500 to $4,000.
THE COMMISSIONS ORDER.
Specifically the New Orleans,
Southern and Grand Isle Railway
AYERS that it is a common carrier, en-
gagged in intrastate and interstate
commerce, owning and operating a
line extending from Algiers, La, to
Buras, La, traversing the parishes
of Orleans, Jefferson and Plaque
mines. The roadway is $50 miles
in length, together with about six
miles of siding and all necessary rail-
way equipment
The speaker states to the Federal
court that the State Railroad Commits
sion, acting under authority of the Con-
stitution of the State of Louisiana, Jan.
81, 1914, issued Order No. 1866,
commanding the railway, within
ninety days from date, to erect at
Belle Chase, a point on its line, a
suitable combination freight and pas
senger depot. This particular order
is deemed unreasonable, as it is al
legged there is no need for the &C
commodation at this point. Another
order of the State Railroad Commits
sion, No. 1404, also is objected to,
on the grounds that the railroad is
financially unable to comply with
either.
In taking up the order relating
to the depot at Belle Chase, the
railroad company alleges that this
place is but one of over fifty stop
ping places. and to erect the depot
as requested would necessitate an
expenditure inconsistent with the
amount of business. The present
management of the New Orleans,
Southern and Grand Isle Railway has
been operating the road since the
beginning of 1911, according to their
petition, and Notwithstanding eco
nomical and best management, it has
never paid a dividend to it's stock
holders. In fact, it has never earned
its fixed charges, such as taxes and
interest on its Indebtedness. On the
contrary, it is set forth that the road
has operated at loss from the date
the present owners took it over until
to-day. 1t is estimated that the act
ual losses have aggregated from
$4,000 to $4,000 per annum.
THE BELLECHASSE STATION.
So far as Belle Chase is con-
cerned, speaker states that for a Pc
riod commencing July /, 1912, and
continuing until June 80, 1913, the
business at this point amounted to
a total of $277,5S, collected on out
ward passengers. The inbound bust
ness for the same period totaled
$4SO.S7. The passengers leaving
Belle Chase on an average amount
to three outbound and four a day
coming in. Freight during the same
length of time amounted to s213.O4,
and $122.94, inbound. The
railroad commissions order calls for
depot costing in excess of $4,000.
They lost s19.74 on passengers and
freight at this point from July 1,
1917, to June 80, 1913.
The New Orleans, Southern and
Grand Isle Railway Company has
spent $4,000 on improvements since
July 1, 1912, and the net loss of
operating during this time is in ex-
cess of s42,225.7S. 1t is averred
that the road has been running for
more than twenty years, and orator
believes that no passenger has ever
been injured through fault or neg
igenee on its part. The only claim
Tor d.mages on record is that of
passenger who was thrown out of an
'pe', door of a baggage car, due to
he unevenness of the roadbed at
hit nOinf althnuoh 0ot tb;, t;xoo