The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-04
REVENUE FROM FREIGHT
Comparative Incomes From
This Source for Two
Years Submitted.
TWO INTERESTING LETTERS.
Contradictions Made OF Certain
Railroad Testimony-Finan-
cial Affairs.

On no day since the Railroad Commits
sioners took up the consideration of Chair
man La Rue's resolution providing for a
horizontal cut of Is pei cent on grain rates
throughout the State were the railroads
representatives so hard pressed to make
favorable showing They only succeeded
in leaving record of broken promises,
evasions and direct contradictions of
former statements.
So marked were these Developments that
it led Commissioner Stanton to cali atten-
ton to them. saying that they justified
him in having suggested another course
than that of taking up the Is per cent
reduction.
What we should have DONE" he re-
marked, "was to have adjusted those dis
ordinations which in particular had been
called to our attention, such as those in
the Salinas and San Joaquin valleys.
These should have been acted upon with
out any long-winded investigation, and
then we could have taken our time in
making the most thorough investigation
into the affairs of the Southern Pacific
Company in connection with the Is per
cent resolution.
These delays are just what had ex-
the farmers from getting any reduction in
the moving of this seasons crops, and it
was this outcome that l wanted to prevent.
81 am not opposed to the Is per cent
resolution, but was opposed to taking it
up before we had adjusted the most flag
rant Determinations. 1 still think that
my plan is the proper one. Present dis
ordinations must be adjusted before q
I. IL L fos- Il \
Two interesting communications were
read by Assistant Secretary Kelly pre-
/, liminary to the further hearing of the
| Southern Pacific case before the Railroad
Commission yesterday. The first was
from the Farmers Cooperative Union OF
Biggs, Cal, and called attention to an al
legged misrepresentation of General Freight
Agent Smurr in one of his com parative
rate statements. 1t was as follows:
BIGGs, Cal, Aug. 81, 1895.
II. II. La Rue, Railroad Commissioner, San
Frdncisco-DEAR SIR: desire to call your at
tention to the list of towns on the California
and oregon Railroad and their distances from
Port Costa presented at the meeting OF your
board on the Goth inst. by Mr.. Smurr. In that
list as published in the San Francisco papers,
the distance from Biggs to Port Costa is stated
to be 131 miles, which is the distance from
Biggs to Port Costa via Roseville junction and
Sacramento. Now, Mr. Smurr ought to know
that all grain hauled from Marysville and
points north of that place to Port Costa Is
shipped via Knights Landing and Davisville,
which is eighteen miles less than via Sacra-
mento, so that the distance from Biggs to Port
Costa is 113 miles instead of 131 miles.
Eighteen miles should be deducted from the
distances on Mr.. Smurr's list in order to get the
number OF miles from Marysyille and towns
north of that place on this railroad.
In conclusion l desire to state that the farm
ers and business men here appreciate your eff
forts to get reduction on grain freight rates.
Every Sipnpr Of the OptitiOn sent from here is q
grain-grower, and If times had not been so bad
delegation of farmers would have attended
your meeting. Yours very truly p.ouu
Superintendent and Secretary the Farmers
Cooperative Union.
The other took exception to the state-
ment made by Assistant General Manager
Curtis before the commission that no ma
terial reduction of wages had ever been
made by the Southern Pacific Company.
1t is as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO Aug. 80, 1895.
Mr. H. NJ. La Rue-DEAR SIR: saw an article
in this mornings paper in regard to question
of wages in the commission yesterday. Mr.
Curtis states that the wages have not been re.
duced. The wages were reduced on the 1st Of
So 25 per day to ST. 80 per day. and not full
time at that. Sometimes the wages are not
more than $32 in month, at the rate they
been reduced. Wewish you would please de-
mand the books to find out the truth of our
statement We are unable to make living at
the wages paid US. If you will please demand
the payroll for the last ten months you will
find what we say is true. Relying on your
honesty in the past, we hope you will bring
this before the commission, and also Mr.. Cur.
tbs, for investigation soon as possible.
Remember the freightsheds, corner OF
Fourth and Townsend streets. Hoping you
will bring this to notice, we remain, Yours,
very respectfully, THE WoRK1EN
These were filed for future reference, and
then Attorney Martin made another plea
for the railroads failure to fully comply
with the request of the Commissioners in
reference to furnishing statement OF its
freight business according to the schedule
of the Western classification, and which
on Saturday its representative had prom
ised to do He said:
So far as we have been able to prepare it we
will present statement of the freight traffic
and the revenue derived from it. We shall
give the entire tonnage of freight, including
the products of farming, mining, manufacture
ing and merchandise originating within the
State. This will give the comparative tonnage
of these different things with the wheat ton
mage. Then we will give you the revenue from