Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-05-05
SMITHS FAILURE TO
ANSWER QUERY WILL
Be TAKEN INTO COURT
Counsel Tells Commission
Such information Might
"EmbarraSS Some Good
Friends in the South"
Rv Asscciassd Press. }

willie and Nashville railroad. and the
late Samuel Spencer, president Of the
Southern railway. relating 10 an alles
sd agreement 70 divide the south oe-
tween the two railroads was nitro
duced by counsel .Sor the interstats|
commerce commission AT todax's invcs-
tiEation a the Louisville and Nash
vfIIe-s Affairs.
In the correspondence. the writers
Iikened themselves 70 Cortez and Pizar-
70. conqUsrors OF new world met 20
Ciside il. one aEr eeiHg to take North
America Inc other south America.
neither 20 touch the iSthmus and uu-
able 20 aErCe on Patagonia.
President Smith said he remembered
uo,SUcb correspondence and character
lied Il as rot"
The cu-rvsI Cudsuce was dated in 1896
snd resulted. chief Counsel Folk Of the
Interstate commerce commission said,
from a meeting between Smith and
SPENCER AZ Hennesaw. Ca. October IS.
1895. The nrsr letter from Mr.. smith
a. AR spencer AIR Folk read into the
record as follows
Iear sir.
-'pizarro-How shall We divide the
rev world
.-COrssz-I Will take North America
sui yCu can have all Of South America
eNrert-aHd neither OF Us will do any
Trims In the isthmus without notice to
ana cooperation Of the other.
''Pizarro--WhiIe Patagonia is not
very LARGE ar important part Of the
world vet perhaps. il : as much as I
can tote
This letter was dated ION PennsyI-
yanis railroad jrsin No q. February
p. 1896. and after this introduction
tCcS Up details OF the railroad situation
ir the south
SPLINTER To SMITH.
The next letter apparently from Spen-
Ger 10 Smith. was dated New FORK. Feb
ruary 20, 1886. and began
Private and confidential
Mr.. n IT. Smith president Louisville
and Nashville Railroad. Louisville.
Kentucky.
Dear Sit. Your letter OF the 22d in
slant
'Pizarro-SIace our last conversation
the division OF the new world between
as has made some progress.
COrtez-Yes. YOU seem 10 have ac-
lUired Patagonia and I have secured a
considerable part Of North America
which touched my former territory. but
IL scents 10 ME you have acquired a
considerable neck Of the isthmus which
+ the connecting link between US. Was
II understood that connecting links
which touched both of US should re a
matter Of consultation before acting or
not9
The letter continued II agree that il
il desirable to review the subject ans.
g. practicable TO make our understand
ing more specific. The principles on
which ] think this understanding should
20 based are:
-'i- That neither the Louisville and
Nashville nor the Southern shall acquire
lines n the territory OF the Cjher and
Ehat lines connecting with or touching
one and not the other shall be regarded
AS the territory OF the one which they
,.uuect OF touch.
That neither viii acquire liens
allied - former ownership. lease. or
otherwise To the other and which at
the moment are not controlled by rea-
s"r Of pending denominations or other
cause
- That neither VIII acquire lines
which connect with or touch both
either. directly OF through subordinate
o. controlled lines without previous con-
suIJation and IL possible asreemeut
AGREEMENT IF POSSIBLE.
-f- That neither will foster the con-
stTuction or new liues or the completion
~ unfinished ones into the territory OF
THE other. hut when questions with ref
stsuce n such lines arise We shall pro-
coed ny agreement with each other If
IiaSsirIs-
'-NfH ybu please consider this and say
such declaration NJ principles is
. satisfactory
The letter took up specific lines in
detail The next letter dated March s.
ard addressed 10 Mr.. Spencer. contained
exceptions with reference TO the Nash
lille and Knoxville. the Memphis and
Charleston. the northern division of the
Chesapeake and Ohio. the Mobile. Biz
ru5ugham and Chattanooga. the Rome
and Columbus. possibly tee Macon and
Northern. the Tennessee Midland. the
s-hattanooEs Southern the Tennessee
central and other smaller roads.
After noting these exceptions. the
letter continued
n will say that the declaration Of
principles T. satisfactory"
The details OF the proposed agree
nlcut are discussed 81 the other letters.
How did you make out on the d.
vision Of the new wutldg' asked Mr..
Folk
1.-The Southern got everything IL want
-: IRE l. & y. didn't get anything"
-. smith replied - didn't even get
. heck Of the isrhmEs"
Mr- Smith was asked to tell what
asps-ened at the conference at Kenns-
saw. ga Tie replied that the Southern
-,s- then i'm process Of organization ard
that no conferred with Mr.. Spence
over the organization plans. The wit
ness had tried hard TO have rates maia-
tanned. in the face Of general rebating.
he said. and was interested in having
the Southern take over as many roads
A. possible. where those roads were
rot needed by the T.. 4 y"
PREFERRED ONE BIG REVIVAL.
Then We would have one biE road
10 deal with" he said. and IL would
he much easier to maintain rates than
70 do so by agreements with a whole
lot Of Little fellows
DO you remember a. this meeting
refusing 10 make an agreement with
AIR. Spencer not 10 compete-to divide
the territory"
Mr.. Smith laughed
Yes" he said. zone OF rs wa II
take North America and the other
south America
You remember asked Mr.. Folk.
that once YOU wrote man in Georgia
fContanued on Page 2, Col. Al