The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-01
IN RAILWAY CIRCLES
The Railways and the Inter-
State Law.
C. E. WURTELLE's SUCCESSOR.
The Union Pacific's Family Meeting
a Big Deal on In Express
Otrcles-General.

will petition Congress to modify the
Interstate commerce law SO that the
injurious and Improbable portion of
the long and short haul clause will be
sbrogated. In June, 1887, the Inter
State Commissioners made a ruling
that the prohibition of greater charge
for short than for long haul applied
only in cases where the circumstances
are substantially similar" and called
attention to circumstances under which
the conditions might be regarded as
dissimllar. Early in July of the same
year Judge Brady of the United States
| Circuit Court at Oregon rendered an opin-
ion on the application of the receiver of
the Oregon & California road for per
mission to charge less for long haul
between San Francisco aud Portland
than for a short haul between local
points, basing the application on
the existence of rail and water
competition. Judge Deadly held tn at
freight carried to or from a COM
petiVe point is always carried under
substantially disSimilar circumstances
and conditions from that carried to or
from non-competitive points. In the
latter case the circumstances are alto
gether different. The power of a cor-
poration to make its own rates is linn
| tied to the necessities of the situation.
| Competition controls the charge. 1t
must take what it can get, or abandon
the field and let its trade go to rust"
Reference was also made 10 decision
of the United States Supreme Court, in
which it was held that 1.-The service
rendered by railway company in
transporting local passengers from one
point On its line to another is not
identical with the servica rendered in
transporting through passenger over
the same rails" The frequent change.
in rates which have been made by
the Granger roads, the late announce
ment by the Northwestern that it will
carry live stock from Omaha to Chi
cago at a rats which is said to be
insufficient by half to cover the
cost of the hail, and the uncertain and
vacillating actions OF the interstate
railroad com missioners of several west
ern States, have placed them in a posi-
ton where it is impossible to obey
the law Jules they entirely disregard
the rights of their stockholders The
roads have in some measure practically
disregarded the laws aud yet in their
quarrels with each other have at times
made such ruinously low rates as to
give some color OF excuse to the aggres-
sive actions of the State railroad COM
missioners. The situation is. in fact,
very discouraging one, and while
there should undoubtedly be some
modification of the long and short haul
clause of the Interstate law, the
change would not restore prosperity to
the granger roads until they find some
method of maintaining rates By some
kind of pooling arrangement.
PERSONAL AND GENERAL.
THE Burlington has declared dlvi.
dend of p r cent. for the current quar-
ter, making per cent paid during the
year.
A. L. HoRNER. for several years SUI
perintendent of the st. Louis division
of the st. Louis, Iron Mountain &
Southern Railway Company, has been
appointed superint endent of the Cas-
cade & Pacific division of the Northern
Pacific road, vice c. P. Cole, resigned.
WILLARD R. JONES, President of the
Nebraska & Western Road, says work
on the new line from Sioux City, Iowa,
to Ogden, Utah, will be completed in
twenty months. The line will be $50
miles shorter than the Union Pacific,
and as the grade will not exceed fifty
feet mile much better time can be
made.-RaiIlCay Register.
The friends of Mr.. Cumming say that
it may look little strange for general
manager to step down to the position
of division superintendent, and claim
that the general managership of the st.
Joseph & Grand Island road is not as
big an office, either in point OF influence,
salary or power as the superintency of
either the Nebraska or Wyoming d.
vision.
THE management of the Wabash rail-
way is having all the bridges and cattle
guards on its lines covered with white
wash, with which salt is mixed, the Ell
feet being both to preserve the timber
and make it freproof, besides some
what improving its appearance. This
work is done about once a year, and is
believed to literally repay the compare
lively small expense.
A FAMILY meeting of the Union Pacific
agents will be held in Omaha On the
10th. This is the first meeting of the
kind ever called by the Union Pacific,
which follows the example of other
roads IN this respect. 1t is intended
for the purpose of getting the agents to-
gether and becoming acquainted with
each other, and of talking over the
plans for the coming years trade.
THERE is a rumor in Omaha to the
effect that there is big deal on in ex-
press circles, the import of which is
that the Adams Express Company is
negotiating for purchase of the Paci-
fic Express Company. The officers of
both corporations sre silent in regard
to the matter, but it is understood that
the only thing in the way of reaching
final settlement now is the question of
price.
The rumor that G. E. Wurtelle, of
the Wyoming Division CT the Union
Pacific, had resigned. has been con-
firmed by a circular from the Omaha
Office. He has been connected with
the Union Pacific as telegraph operator,
dispatcher, train master, assistant
superintendent and superintendent for
the past twenty years. G. M. Cum
ming is named as his successor. The