Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-07
RAILROADS FIGHT EFFORT
TO CUT LIMESTONE RATES
Farmers Appeal to Corporation
Commission for Lower Charges
on Commodity.
CASE is UNDER AMUSEMENT
Commissioner of Agriculture George
w. koincr Appears Before Body
and Makes Argument for Pro-
posed Reduction.

With representatives OF nine rail
roads aligned with officials of the
burnt lime manufacturing interests
OH one side. and George W. Ko:ner
state Commissioner OF Agriculture
and counsel for a number OF crushed
lime corporations and private inter
ests on the other, the State Corpora
ZION Commission met yesterday 10
hear arguments pro and con. on
lowering the freight rate on lime
stone TO be used as fertilizer.
1t was a battle royal. with -four
interests advancing their arguments
in the case instead or the usual two
factions. Tho railroad companies,
rcpreS cntcd by some OF the best at =
torneys in the South. combatcd The
proposed rat. reduction on general
principles. The: coatended that this
product could not be- handled at TIA.
old rate. which the farmers are de-
manding.
Request Like Treatment.
Claiming that it would civ. their
rivals an unfair advantage 20 lower
the rate or ground limestone Wilton;
lowering thai on tho burnt product.
attorneys for this class OF concerns
We're also present.
especially caraes, appeal. H. told
the commission that il would profit
The railroads moro 70 rcduc" their
reach of the farmer. Unless this is
done, tie declared, farmers Will ne
unable 20 &c; lin" FOR fertilizer. This
would tend 20 reduce production and
the railroads, upon which the farmer
deperds 20 haul his crops, would
suffer thereby.
Further. The commissioner called
the attention @: the railroad officials
= =. Na.-, a.-.. 80.
produce and appealed FOR the lowest
rate possible on t.> account The
interests ~ The lime producing COM
TaaieS were protected by attorneys
advanced arguments for the old rate
on IN. ground Of greater volume O:
business with which 10 supply the
railroads
Attorney. for Railroads.
Three representatives. of tn- Nor
FOLK Sad Western Railroad were pres
en;. l.. II Cooke l.. II Cooke. j.. and
J. r. Huttin. J. }. Champion repre-
scented the c. .. (: o Railroad L. II.
iiotchE!ss ana Nh Patterson APP
peared for ule Chesapeake. and Ohio
!. l.. ClagEc;t. Charles J. Rixey and
j. II. Drake were present in Tho IA
terest OF the southern and the Dan
willie and Southern Lines. The New
York. Philadelphia and Norfolk
showed its Interest in ,he case by
having present Randolph i. Cooke:
and l.. Randolph Williams and J. Il.
Mordecai. looked after the Interests
Of the Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac.
on the other side some OF those
who took AN active part in the DIS
cuSsiOn were William T. Carson. OF
the ltivcrton Lime Company, Profess
scr L.. q. Fippin, secretary OF tho
National Lime Association. OF Wash
inEton. u. G.; State Commissioner OF
Agriculture George w. koincr, W.
II nnyin n h,. C'1nrnp,nnt ri
Company; NJ Morris. OF the Amelia
Farmers Co-opcrativc Union. and c.
X. Kelley. Of the Farmers Union.
The railroads advanced argument
and evidence to show that the rates
In Virginia, as now in effect. are
lower than those in other ncighbor-
ing states. The commission took the
case under advjscmcnt.