the Legislature, thereby leaving this power to be exercised in each particular in such way as might in the judgment of the Commission conduce most to the welfare of the railroads and their patrons. Said Circulars Nos. 27 and 28 were finally disposed of by the terms of Circulars Nos. 34, 35 and 40. CIRCULAR No. 31. The Commissioners issued Circular No. 31 on October 27, 1882, as follows: OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, 1. Column J, (Cotton) of the Commissioners' Standard Freight Tariff, now in use, viz: 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 28 30 31 32 33 Distances. 10 20 J.-Cents. 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 2. The following is adopted as the column for Class J, (Cotton) in the Commissioners' Standard Freight Tariff: 3. The percentages now allowed certain railroads on cotton are continued in force, and are applicable to the Standard column J, as adopted by this Circular. In estimating cotton rates, where additional percentages are allowed, in cases where fractions of cents occur, the nearest half cent may be used. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Chairman pro tem. R. A. BACON, Secretary. The object of this Circular was to equalize more justly the rates on cotton between stations on the roads in this State, and in its operation it has had the effect intended by the Commissioners. CIRCULAR No. 32. The Commissioners issued Circular No. 32 on October 27, 1882, as follows: The time for the enforcement of those portions of Circulars 27 and 28, which were postponed until January 1st, 1883, by Circular No. 30, is further postponed until September 1st, 1883, unless otherwise ordered. ROBERT A. BACON, Secretary. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Chairman pro tem. Circular No. 33, dated December 21, 1882, is in the following language: CIRCULAR No. 33. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, 1. Syrup in barrels or half barrels, and sugar in barrels or boxes of the kind known as Florida or Georgia syrup or sugar and sorghum, produced on or near the line of any railroad within the jurisdiction of this Commission, is hereby placed in Class R; and all connecting roads which are under the management or control of one and the same company, in . applying the rates on these articles, shall be considered as one and the same railroad. 2. This Circular takes effect January 20th, 1883. R. A. BACON, Secretary. CAMPBELL WALLACE, Chairman pro tem. Before this order went into operation the manufacturers of syrups in our State were, in effect, prohibited by the high rates of transportation on the railroads from shipping the products of that industry to market. Syrups from without the limits of the State were being introduced on through tariffs at very low rates. The home manufacturer found himself debarred thereby from entering his own home markets with the products of his labor. The consequence of this was to prevent in a large measure the development of this useful branch of industry. By Circular No. 33, "syrup in barrels or half barrels, and sugar in barrels or boxes, of the kind known as Florida or Georgia syrup or sugar and sorghum, produced on or near the line of any railroad within the jurisdiction of the Commission," was placed in in Class "R" of the Commissioners' schedule of rates. By this regulation, freight on these articles, made on or near the line of railway, was reduced from twenty to fifty per cent., according to the character of the packages in which such shipments were made. Charges of the sum of the locals upon such shipments were prohibited by the application, in effect, of Rule No. 1. This Circular went into operation January 20th, 1883, the benefits of which are greatly extended by section 12 of Circular No. 34, to which we refer in this connection. Since which time our home-made and all other syrups are being introduced into all parts of the State free from excessive railroad charges for transportation. Circular No. 34 was issued January 30, 1883, and went into effect on March 1st the eafter as follows: CIRCULAR No. 34. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, 1. The East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad, between Macon and Brunswick, is allowed to charge as maximum rate of freight the standard rates published in the Commissioners' Sixth Annual Report, Appendix B, pages 3 and 4. 2. On Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, E, G, and H, and may add thereto, on distances hauled, between 0 and 40 miles, 50 per cent.; between 40 and 70 miles, 40 per rent.; between 70 and 100 miles, 30 per cent., and over 100 miles 20 per cent. 3. Classes L, M, N and O remain at Standard, and Classes B, C, D, F, P and R also remain at Standard, but must be computed as required in rule one. 4. To-Fertilizers, in Class K, 20 per cent. may be added, computed under rule one. To Class J (Cotton), fifteen per cent. may be added to Standard [in Circular 31. Appendix B, page 12.] 6. The foregoing rates are applicable to and will be the governing rates for freight tariff for the Central and Southwestern Railroads and branches between all points South and East of Macon. 7. No percentages, either in mileage or rates, are allowed to be added to Standard rates, by the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad between Macon and the Tennessee State line, or to the Central Railroad between Macon and Atlanta, except twenty per cent. may be added to fertilizers in Class K. 8. Classes B, C, D, F, K, P and R must be computed as required in rule one, 9. The Atlanta and West Point Railroad and the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama Railroad may add no more than twenty per cent. to the Standard rates on Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, E, G, H and K; all other classes remain at Standard. 10. The Columbus and Rome Railroad may add to Standard rates no more than fifty per cent. on all classes, except class K, to which twenty per cent. may be added; and except classess B, C, D, F, P and R, which will remain at Standard rates. 11. Class P embraces all kinds of sawed or hewd lumber, poles, posts, logs, laths, shingles and staves in car loads. 12. Circular No. 33 will be construed to embrace all classes of syrups in half barrels or larger casks, without regard to the place of production. 13. Circular No. 26 and Section 7 of Circular No. 27 are hereby repealed. 14. Apples and Peaches (not dried) and other green fruit, in barrels or boxes, and Trees and Shrubbery in bales or boxes, less than car load, owner's risk, 6th Class. Same in car loads, owner's risk, Class O. 15. The Central railroad will furnish to this office for approval joint rates for the transportation of freights between all stations on the various divisions of railroads under its control. 16. The East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad will furnish to this office for approval joint rates to be used between all stations North and stations South of Macon on its line. 17. This Circular takes effect March 1st, 1883. By order of the Board. ROBERT A. BACON, Secretary. JAMES M. SMITH, Chairman. By the provisions of this circular the two great lines of railway, namely: The Central and the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, were, in effect, placed upon a footing of equality in the rates of transportation allowed to be charged by each. The observance of this circular by these companies and the enforcement of Rule 6 of this Commission, and the application of Rule 1 to certain classes, secure at once a healthy competition between the roads themselves, and at the same time prevents all unjust discrimination between persons and places. Circular No. 35, adopted March 1st, 1883, reads as follows: CIRCULAR No. 35. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, On the petition of certain lumbermen of Southeastern Georgia, after patient and full investigation and consideration of the conflicting interests of the railroad companies, the lumbermen and the public, the following Circular order was adopted: WHEREAS, The railroad companies most interested in the transportation of lumber in Georgia are the Central, the Savannah, Florida and Western, and the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia, south of Atlanta; and WHEREAS, The Savannah, Florida and Western railroad has since July, 1882, been, during a part of the time voluntarily charging an average of about one-half of class "P" rates, and is now voluntarily charging an average of about thirty per cent. less than class P of the Commissioners' rates on lumber; and WHEREAS, The Central railroad is now, and has been since October 1st, 1882, voluntarily charging for hauling lumber twenty per cent. less than class P of Commissioners' rates; and WHEREAS, The East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad company through its division superintendent has assured said lumber men of its willingness to haul lumber at less than class P to and in the direction of Savannah and Brunswick, provided the Commis sion would allow that road to charge a higher rate when carried in the direction of Macon and Atlanta; and WHEREAS, These three great lumber hauling railroads have thus indicated by their action that a less rate than class P would not be unjust or unreasonable; therefore it is ordered, 1st. That on and after Monday, April 2d, 1883, no more than class P of Commissioners' rates less twenty per cent. shall be the maximum rates for lumber hauled over the Savannah, Florida and Western, the Central railroad, and the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad, and all the lines controlled by these roads by lease or otherwise south of Atlanta, except the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama railroad. 2d. Lower rates than the above will be sanctioned by the Commissioners when made in accordance with the law and their published rules. 3d. Any avoidable failure on the part of the railroads in furnishing cars and transporting them speedily when loaded will be considered an evasion of this order. By order of the Board. ROBERT A. BACON, Secretary. JAMES M. SMITH, Chairman. This Circular, upon its face, shows the considerations which led to its adoption by the Commission. A petition of certain lumber men of Southeastern Georgia was laid before the Commission. In considering this petition the Commissioners were led to investigate the whole subject of lumber rates as they existed on the part of the lumber-carrying railroads of the State. Before the date of our last report the Commissioners, in Circular No. 26, had taken action with the intention of opening up the markets of the West and Northwest to our lumber dealers. In that report we say: "A thorough consideration of the whole subject, however, led the Commission to conclude that it was its duty to unlock, as far as practicable, all the cities and markets of the great West to the lumber men of Georgia. These markets have hitherto been almost entirely supplied over the lines of the Louisville and Nashville railroad and the Alabama Great Southern railroad from the forests of Alabama and Mississippi. High rates over the Georgia roads had almost entirely excluded the lumber men of the Southern portion of this State from entering the markets mentioned with their products." The object which the Commissioners had in view in passing Circular order No. 26 had been, in a great measure, accomplished. For the purpose of removing as far as possible every obstacle from its accomplishment, however, Circular order No. 35 was issued. The result has been beyond the most sanguine expectation of the Commission. Orders for millions of feet of Georgia pine lumber are received from the West and Northwest, and are being rapidly filled. Our lumber men are no longer forced to ship the products of their labor from the coast alone, but are secured by this action of the Commission in a choice of markets. |