Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-25
CALIFORNIA.
The Railroad COmmissiOl-Eirst Meeting
in Southern California.

CoLToN, May 24th.-This morning the
Railroad Commission held its first session in
Southern California at this place, all the
members being present. The attendance of
persons interested in railroad fares and
! freights was very small.
At the morning session only two persons
submitted any testimony, one being NJ. A.
Murphy, the local agent of Perry, Wood
worth & Co., lumber dealers of Los Angeles,
and the other Henry Conner, general
merchant of San Bernardino.
The burden of Mr.. Murphy complaint
was that at the present freight rates of the
railroad company from the water front via
Los Angeles to Cotton, the freight on green
lumber per thousand amounts to S11 %, and
on dry lumber to IS IS; that teamsters are
delivering lumber at Riverside from Newport
and Los Angeles at 81 per thousand, and
there is no additional expense for handling
He claimed that the company now charged for
small lots of lumber "a cents per 100 pounds
from Los Angeles to Cotton. which would
amount to IS 30 per thousand for dry lumber
and Sll 81 for green lumber. The car rate
of the company is $50 from Los Angeles
5000 feet of dry being allowed to a car and
c, 600 green. If the car rate were changed
proportionately for small lots, which would
be about So 60 per thousand, Murphy
thought it would be the fair thing vet he
Riverside could deliver for less money.
Mr.. Conner was allowed to prefer oral
charges against the company. He charged it
with discriminating In faver of certain locali-
ties, with arbitrariness in its management.
abuse of goods in transit, with making too
great distinction between the rate on one
ton and that on one car load Of ten tons.
with delay IN transportation, and with ex-
cessive charges on certain classes of freight
On the question of discrimination he repre-
sented that he could buy certain goods from
Los Angeles merchants at a price less one
third the through freight from San Francisco
to Cotton, which he claimed TO be due to a
corresponding reduction in freight rates in
favor of the Los Angeles merchants. The
rates on eggs were eight cents per dozen, and
the return boxes were charged by measure
ment. The high freights prevented the ship
ment of eggs to San Francisco. Since the
first of January new method of fixing
freights had been adopted, raising the rates
from ~ cents Il 100 lbs on certain goods to 81
cents On the subject Of discrimination in the
quantity shipped, he said the company offered
to transport one ton of ore from Dos Palmas
to San Francisco for S37 or S39 40, and ten
tons for Sl3 80 per ton. He found that rates
had advanced since the new Constitution
went into operation. He accused the COM
pany with charging 50 96 y 100 lbs on dry
good in bales and 81 50 in boxes, without in-
suring responsibility for damage
MIR. Mosher, the company's local agent,
interiected the correction that the rates were
81 45 in boxes aud 81 50 III bales.
In reply to Mr.. Beerstecher, the witness
stated that there were twenty merchants in
San Bernardino and Cotton, but that in these
complaints he represented nobody but HIM
self
The Commissioners took recess at noon.
SECOND DISPATCH.l
CoLToN, May 24th.-The Commission ex-
amined only one witness this afternoon, L. A.
Miller, a Riverside merchant lie testified
that the railroad company was charging
much higher freights for carrying merchan-
disc than was paid to transfers, so that he
was compelled to ship al his goods by water
and teams, although much more inconveuient
He thought the company was amply able to
carry merchandise at lower rate than teams
The Commission adjourned to meet at San
Gabriel on Wednesday morning.
Messrs. Cone and Beerstecher went to Riv-
erside this afternoon after the adjournment.