The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-11-20

The Honorable Railroad Commission
ers, Columbia, s. C. ..--
Gentlemen: Some Of our business
men have requested me to protest the
application Of the railroads operating
in this State to cancel Exception
Sheet No. and to apply in lieu there
OF, the Southern Classification on all
freight traffic between points within
this State. I am informed that this
means that some Of the goods purch-
ased will be required to pay a freight
rate from so to 120 per cent. greater
than We are now paying should Ex4
ception Sheet No. 9 be Cancelled. "''
The Rowland Buggy Company Of
Sumter. s. c., and C. d. FRANKIE and
Company of Charleston, claim that the
most important goods affected by the
proposed change In classification in
their line are the following: On We
hicle material such as hubs, spokes,
rims. shafts. and singletrees, the pro-
posed advance in the freight rates
Will be about 12O per cent, on horse
shoes, bar iron and steel, the propos-
ed change means an advance in their
freight rates Of about so per cent. On
iron and steel axels. the proposed
change means an advance of about GO
per cent
Many other goods would also mater
tally be affected If this proposed
change suggested by the railroads
should be granted. 1 am informed
that every State in the Union prac-
tically enjoys special rates similar to
those allowed in Exception Sheet No.
Q covering traffic within the borders of
the respective States, and it would,
according to the views Of Sumter and
other South Carolina shippers and
buyers within the State If the South
Carolina Railroad Commissioners
should grant the request of the rail-
roads, be detrimental to South Caro-
lima business interests.
| This organization, the Sumter
Chamber of Commerce, believes that
full hearing should be granted to
shippers and buyers on all extraordi-
nary proposed changes Of freight rates
similar to the one proposed. 1 would
therefore request that the Sumter
buyers and shippers be given an op-
portunity to attend a hearing on this
proposed change Of rates before your
commission does anything.
| Many believe that this is not q time
to be taxed with increased freight
rates. Some States I am told by re-
liable Sumter manufacturers enjoy
much better Intra- State rates than our
State, for instance In North Carolina
classification on buggies is "a Class L.
G. l.. and 4th class c. L., while in
South Carolina it is 1st Glass l.. c. l..
and 3rd Glass c L.. and too, the rate
on buggies from North Carolina fac
tories to South Carolina points is less
than the rate on buggies from South
Carolina factories to North Carolina
points so / am reliably informed.
Sometime ago we had this matter ur
with the railroad people and they
made n slight change in buggy rates
from Sumter to North Carolina points
but would not make them as low as the
North Carolina rates to South Caro-
lima points. All Of the factories and
hardware stores and believe manu-.
facturers and dealers, in other line.
of business would he materially af.
fccted by this proposed change or can.
collation. of Exception Sheet No. ., ant
the application of the Southern Classi
fcation on all freight traffic between
points within this State.
/ believe that the numerous com
mercial organizations and the Soutl
Carolina Freight Rate Association, to-