The New York herald., 1879-09-30
FREIGHT CARRIERS.
The Legislative Committee Investigating the
Buffalo Steamship Feeders
SOLOMON S. GUTHRIE'S STATEMENTS
Plenty OF Money Made Out OF
the Lake Traffic.
A DIRECTORS POOR MEMORY.

BUFFALO. N. Y. Sept. %. 1879.
The Sub Committee on Railway Investigation met
this morning and Counsel Laning said to the commit
tee that if they going INTO the discussion of the
Bennett charges he would say that it would take q
very long time take the testimony. and ho had
important to try he would like to have q
subcommittee appointed to take this testimony.
The chairman said the purpose of the committee
simply to allow tho gentleman to exhibit maps
and explain the matter, and that would take about
ten minutes.
Mr.. Loring said that this matter is purely local
matter concerning the city of Buffalo and they
apply to the Legislature for redress If they want it,
Mr.. Sterne-Another railroad can't take what you
have taken.
Mr.. Laning said the laws arranged that.
After counsel had argued the question D. 8. Ben
nett was sworn. He d:-I reside in Buffalo: am
in the produce business; tho effect of the
law OF 1854 is that 1t prevents all tho railroads
except the New York Central road from reaching
the harbor and terminal facilities OF the CITY,
Maps were exhibited showing the strip of land that
the New York Central Railroad had acquired by an
amendment TO tho Laws of 1854. and passed June 90
1872 Chapter Gal. section 4, was amended fol-
lows:-
Exccp that lying and situate between Exchange
and the Main and Hamburg street Canal.
This property the New York Central Railroad has
purchased. or is about to purchase; it is about a
quarter Of mile in length and about three hun
dred feet in width; the property that is exempt
by tho of 1885, amended in 1854. extends from
the harbor for about three miles through the Gen.
trail portion of tho city and about quarter Of mile
wide; no railroad company can cross this strip ex-
cept the New York Central 1t will be very important
to tho commerce OF Buffalo and the State to have
free access to the harbor. which M is now withheld
from railroads passing through hecity.
Daniel O'Day was summoned to appear before the
committee. but did not appear, and Messrs. Laning
and Shipman said that he was under an indictment
of another State. and that it was not right to put
him on tho stand.
could not have any effect on the Indictment of the
State of Pennsylvania.
The chairman directed that it be entered on the
minutes.
Solomon .. Guthrie, of Buffalo. was examined by
Mr.. Sterne follows ST. am one of the directors Of
tho New York. Lake Erie and Western Railway Com
pany; also of the Union Steamboat Com
pany; do not know when 1t was organized;
/ became member of il in 1876 am o
stockholder: own share; the Erie company
nearly all the rost; am the presidents there il
secretary and treasurer there is u board of direc-
tors; their names are Mcssrs. Jewett Bullard.
Bowen and myself; don't know that we have
tract with the Erie company; have not seen one:
Interrupted by Judge shipman. who said that he
would furnish tho contract to the committee if he
could
Examination resumed-I can't toll who has the
contrat; got q salary OF $500 year; know that
by statement that was made; have no copy
Of it: it is in New York; can't tell whether
it Sow has paid sao ss 1e.,sa @
were bought in 1878; they cost $4,000. which camo
out OF tho treasury; don't own any dockc own only
tho boats; don't know the vaiue of too fleet;
sells; can't tell the cost of tho vessels; think
will take mo time to estimate; have seven
teen propellers and two sailing vessels; re-
port Of the rSs as knSw s. that th the
wcre; Mr.. Bullard had the management of tho
report; know that it was correct when saw it;
there arc no other persons who carry through
freight for the Eric Company the lakes except
company; am president OF the Union Dry Dock
company is owned by the Erie Railroad; am re-
lated by marriage to President Jcwett; am his
M the Socre Sc
Ia1l pany is sasooOo; Of Of tho % Union ion Steam s
Dock Company is owned by tho Erie Company; tho
directors Messrs. Jewett, Bullard, Taylor and
myself; it has never paid any dividends; we havo
shops at cost Of $4,000 since have boon connected
with it; the value the property Of the company is
at least $2OOO0O; don't know how much Of tho
@. Has the Union Steamboat Company any
% carrying freghta A. Not that know Of; lam am not
advised OF any contract existing between the COM
pany and the New York Central road; don't know
what charge for through freight; the Union
Steamboat Company has agents in milwaukee, and
Chicago
the lakes for the last two years has decreased; we
have pgid u dividend on our stock to my
knowledge: we have kept our stock in good order;
have mado profit, but don Z know how much wc col
lcct freight from this city ut milwaukee, and Chi
cago principally; others carry West bound through
freight run our boats to the Eric Railroad
docks; only short transfer through the warehouse
IL necessary to load goods; other vessels come to
our dock to receive and discharge freight IL they
have through freight they como to our dock; the
Erie Railroad Company give our boats tho prefer
for freight received by them over other boats
To Mr. shipman-My business is the general
supervision Of and advisor for the railroad CON-
pany.
Washington Bullard, sworn Am general manager
of the Union Steamboat Company; have been in the
service of tho steamboat company sncoits organiza
ton; was an agent for the company In 1869;
the fleet that is now running is far
ganizcd; the president of tho company at that
time was Jay Gould; know nothing directly OF tho
financial management OF the company tho company
do not own u single railroad car: thcy are q nero
intermediary between the railroad company and tho
boats; there are some three hundred freight
by the Eric Hallway Company; there 10
q provision In the contract whereby tho Eric
so; the company is square In every respect IL
l remember right the car company Is to keep the
knowledge, has ever been inadc between the Union
Steamboat Company and the Eric Rail
way oompsny; & |. was ma made by Jay Gould;
Eric liailroad Company ut the time; get tho full
rate that stipulate for; We sometimes get
larger rate than tho fro marine mon; some
months We can't got an ounce OF freight;
this Is caused by grain spectators shipping
grain by tho very slowest routes because
thoy want to hold the market; this has occurred
very often some years but not ALL our ships load
at Chicago and Milwaukee, aud carry to the
Erie company; during the past year
have carried moro local freights; they have
not had many cars ready for shipment during tlc
past year: we carry tho bulk of the Western bound
freight billed through by lake and rail; we car
rod 100000 tons OF freight Westward bound
last year, do some business at Toledo:
never paid any dividends, have made lots
OF money; whatever we have made we have put into
new boats; don't pay any money TO the Erie Rail
way; made profits during the bad yearsvery little.
though: our income has never been insufficient to
expenses: our relations to the Union Dry
Dock Company IL that pay them for whatever they
do for us; am'a trustee OF the Dry Dock Company:
don't know much about its affairs; whatever It
earns IL puts into new improvements; II Ihave q
copy of the contract between tho Union Steamboat
Company and the Erie will furniah 1t to tho CON-
mittee.
To the Chairman-wo have four passenger boats