The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-26

Denver. April 25.-The evidence given
before the interstate commerce COM
mission in this city has been so con-
yincing that railroad attorneys and OF
f1cials have conceded the Justice of the
demand of Denver jobbers and manu-
facturers for a reduction of rates. But
they contend that if lower through
rates be granted, the rates to inter
mediate points shall not be lowered
correspondingly, since all they demand
is to be put on an equal footing with
Chicago and other eastern points in
reaching markets.
The commission began hearing. evil
dence today on the complaint OF the
Colorado Fuel and Iron company. Tne
chief point made by this concern is
that the steel and iron plants of Birn-
ingham, Ala, can ship their products
to the Pacific coast more cheaply than
the same class of freight can be
shipped from Pueblo, Colo.
The Point at Issue.
Judge D. c. Bearman IN opening the
case for the iron company: sald tnat
really the only point at issue was
whether the Almighty had not MADE
mistake in putting large deposits or
iron and coal in Colorado instead or
along the line of the Southern Pacific
railroad. He read the complaint which
set forth in detail that the Southern
Pacific as well as other roads, pub
fishes rates on steel rails and otfer
articles of iron and steel of $3.50 per
100 pounds from Pueblo to San Fran
cisco, while at the same time they pub
lish a tariff on these same articles from
Chicago. Mississippi river points and
Missouri river points Of respectively
60, 90 and "a cents per 100 pounds; also
that the rate from certain Atlantic
seaboard points and New Orleans is as
low and sometimes lower than from
Chicago. 1t is asserted, therefore, that
the rates published from Pueblo to
San Francisco are unreasonable and
absolutely prohibit any iron or steel
business in that market. English steel
rails are delivered alongside the docks
al San Francisco, the price Of the rails,
freight, insurance and duty all in
cluded, less than S1.60 per 100 pounds,
which is the published rate for trans
portation only from Pueblo. This is
claimed to be an unjust discrimination
against Pueblo and undue preference
and advantage to localities farther east
and therefore in violation Of the third
section Of the interstate commerce law
Violating the Law.
1t is further alleged that in charg-
charged from seaboaId points, Chi
cago, Mississippi river points AMI Mis-
souri, river points to San Francisco,
the fourth section of the Interstate
commerce law is completely ignored
and therefore violated.
The company further says that the
general business of the company in
supplying fuel to Colorado industries
is 20 a. large extent affected by a
wholesale discrimination, whereby
such industries are deprived of a
chance to sell their goods in the San
Francisco market and that the rates
and charges made by the railway
companies on all other goods and
wares. than those above specified, car
ried from Pueblo, Denver and COM
mon points in Colorado to Sacra-
mento, San Francisco and common
points in California are unreasonable
and unjust.
Paul Morton. second president
of the Colorado company, gave a de-
tailed account of the manner in which
it's products are kept out of the Cali
fOrnia market.