Pursuant to the foregoing notice, the Commission met at its office on the 25th day of August, and on that day and the day ensuing representatives of the following railroad companies appeared and were heard, to-wit: The Florida Central & Peninsular, the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West, the Plant System of Railways, the Florida. East Coast, the Louisville & Nashville, the Carrabelle, Tallahassee & Georgia, and the Yellow River Railroad. The representatives of the companies moved, because of the importance of the matter and the voluminous nature of the schedules, rates, rules and regulations proposed to be adopted by the Commission, that they be allowed thirty days' further time to consider the same and to prepare and present objections thereto, if they desired so to do. After hearing argument on the same, the Commission made the following order: "The motion of the representatives of the railroads, asking for further time to consider the schedules, rates, rules and regulations, and to prepare and present objections thereto, if they desire so to do, having been considered. "It is ordered, by the Commission. That the representatives of the railroads, and all other persons interested, shall have for the purposes aforesaid until 4:30 o'clock p. m., on Monday, the 20th day of September next." On that day, the Commission being in session, the representatives of the railroads, heretofore mentioned, also a representative of the Georgia Southern & Florida, and Judge G. P. Raney, in behalf of the Palatka Board of Trade, and General W. H. Milton, in behalf of the citizens of Marianna, appeared and addressed the Commission. The consideration of the matter was continued day after day until September 30, when the Commission adopted the rules and regulations and the schedule of rates which are set forth in the appendix hereto, and would be disastrous; and we would, therefore, respectfully petition your honorable body to give the subject of interdivision rates immediate consideration and authorize an increase of twenty per cent above the standard tariff on interdivision traffic to or from points on the following divisions, viz: Florida Southern Railroad; St. John's & Lake Eustis Railway; Tampa & Thonotosassa Railroad ; The percentage of increase asked for will not enable us to charge the rates formerly in effect, but we are willing to give these rates a fair trial, and if, upon further investigation, it is found that additional increases are necessary, applications will be made setting forth our reasons therefor. It is not the desire of the Plant System to embarrass the Commission by petitions other than those which are absolutely necessary, and such requests as are presented will be made, as in this case, only after the most serious consideration. Respectfully submitted, D. F. JACK, Freight Traffic Manager. The Commission, complying with the request of the Plant System, made publication that a hearing of its application for an increase of rates would be had at Tallahassee on the 13th of January, 1898. An earlier day for a hearing would have been appointed, but for the absence of the Commissioners from Tallahassee on official business several weeks in the month of December. Subsequently, at the request of the Plant System, and for good cause shown, the day for a hearing was postponed until the 20th of January. In the meantime, many letters and petitions from citizens residing in the southern part of the State were received, protesting against the increase of rates asked for by Mr. Jack, as Freight Traffic Manager. On the 19th of January. Mr. Jack wired the Commission as follows: "I understand Presidents Florida Southern Railway and Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad are going to apply to the Commission for abolition of Rule No. 1 as to those roads, so as to put rates back on said roads where they were prior to establishment of Commission. For this reason we withdraw our application for 20 per cent increase between divisions." The request for the withdrawal of the application was granted. No application for the abrogation of Rule No. 1 of the Commission has yet been made. Complaints of Palatka Board of Trade. On the 8th of January, the Palatka Board of Trade, by its attorney, filed in the office of the Commission a complaint against each of the following-named railroads: The Florida East Coast, the Plant System, and the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West. The complainant alleged that said railroads were violating the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission for the transportation of persons and property by railroad companies in the State of Florida, in that they were making an unjust, wrongful and unlawful discrimination against the locality and community of the city of Palatka," and prayed that the Commission take action to compel them to desist from such violation. Notice of the filing of the complaints were promptly served on the agents of said railroads, and answers thereto were duly made and filed by them. The institution of these cases was a renewal of the old controversy, which had heretofore prevailed for several years, and which caused so much friction between the people of that section of the State and the railroads. It was before the former Commission of the State, but a satisfactory settlement of it was never reached. Final hearings of the cases have not been had, and they are yet pending, but they have been carefully considered by the Commission, and it is believed that a solution of the controversy, alike satisfactory to both interests, and which will prevent future trouble, has been attained. would be disastrous; and we would, therefore, respectfully petition your honorable body to give the subject of interdivision rates immediate consideration and authorize an increase of twenty per cent above the standard tariff on interdivision traffic to or from points on the following divisions, viz: Florida Southern Railroad; St. John's & Lake Eustis Railway; Tampa & Thonotosassa Railroad ; The percentage of increase asked for will not enable us to charge the rates formerly in effect, but we are willing to give these rates a fair trial, and if, upon further investigation, it is found that additional increases are necessary, applications will be made setting forth our reasons therefor. It is not the desire of the Plant System to embarrass the Commission by petitions other than those which are absolutely necessary, and such requests as are presented will be made, as in this case, only after the most serious consideration. Respectfully submitted, D. F. JACK, Freight Traffic Manager. The Commission, complying with the request of the Plant System, made publication that a hearing of its application for an increase of rates would be had at Tallahassee on the 13th of January, 1898. An earlier day for a hearing would have been appointed, but for the absence of the Commissioners from Tallahassee on official business several weeks in the month of December. Subsequently, at the request of the Plant System, and for good cause shown, the day for a hearing was postponed until the 20th of January. In the meantime, many letters and petitions from citizens residing in the southern part of the State were received, protesting against the increase of rates asked for by Mr. Jack, as Freight Traffic Manager. On the 19th of January, Mr. Jack wired the Commission as follows: "I understand Presidents Florida Southern Railway and Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad are going to apply to the Commission for abolition of Rule No. 1 as to those roads, so as to put rates back on said roads where they were prior to establishment of Commission. For this reason we withdraw our application for 20 per cent increase between divisions." The request for the withdrawal of the application was granted. No application for the abrogation of Rule No. 1 of the Commission has yet been made. Complaints of Palatka Board of Trade. On the 8th of January, the Palatka Board of Trade, by its attorney, filed in the office of the Commission a complaint against each of the following-named railroads: The Florida East Coast, the Plant System, and the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West. The complainant alleged that said railroads were violating the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission for the transportation of persons and property by railroad companies in the State of Florida, in that they were making an unjust, wrongful and unlawful discrimination against the locality and community of the city of Palatka," and prayed that the Commission take action to compel them to desist from such violation. Notice of the filing of the complaints were promptly served on the agents of said railroads, and answers thereto were duly made and filed by them. The institution of these cases was a renewal of the old controversy, which had heretofore prevailed for several years, and which caused so much friction between the people of that section of the State and the railroads. It was before the former Commission of the State, but a satisfactory settlement of it was never reached. Final hearings of the cases have not been had, and they are yet pending, but they have been carefully considered by the Commission, and it is believed that a solution of the controversy, alike satisfactory to both interests, and which will prevent future trouble, has been attained. |