The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
They All Pour in Upon Attorney.
General Fitzgerald at
Once.
BACK AT LA RUE AND STANTON.
Many Things Which the Commits.
sioners Stated Are Said to
Have Been Not True.

Among the charges made by Commits
sioner La Rue, one was that the railroad
people practically controlled the former
Boards of Railroad Commissioners. To
refute these charges was an affidavit by
Ex-Railroad Commissioner J. M. Itch
field, who declared that neither the South.
ern Pacific nor any other railroad con-
trolled or attempted to control his actions
while he was commissioner. Ex-Com-
missioners P. J. White, William Beckman,
G. J. Carpenter and James w. Rea also
made similar denials.
Commissioner La Rue had stated in one
of his affidavits that all railroad property,
according to its capitalization, was as
sessed far below the ratio on which other
commercial property throughout the State
is assessed. TO controvert this statement
were filed affidavits from several people.
One was J. S. Swan, ex-member OF the
Board of Equalization. His deposition was
that while holding said Office from 1891 to
1894 his duties required him to investigate
the assessed values of property. He found
that the assessed values of property gen.
orally, including real estate in this State,
ranges from 80 to 60 per cent of it's COM
mercial value and that all property, rail-
road included, was assessed at the same
ratio of valuation.
]. R. Hebborn and c. E. Wilcoxon, also
ex-members of the Board OF Equalization,
made affidavits substantially the same as
Swan. Assessor R. S. Leckie of Alameda
County backed up the foregoing by all af-
fidavit to the effect that no reductions
were made upon Southern Pacific property
in that county. except at the regular ratio
of 80 to so per cent.
An affidavit by H. ]. Laymance, a real
estate dealer in Alameda, was of similar
import.
Among the affidavits was a large num-
Der to show that Commissioner La Rue
had been elected on pledge. The Com
missioner had declared that he did not, at
the Democratic Convention where he was
nominated, take the party pledge. which
dealt particularly with cutting the railroad
freight rates. That plank was in substance
that the successful nominee had to pledge
himself to make % per cent cut
For example, John w. Gass of Butte
County made affidavit that he was dele
gate to the Railroad District Convention
held in Butte County. At that gathering
Mr.. Gass heard read the platform of the
Democratic party and he heard the part
requiring the nominees to subscribe to the
% per cent cut in railroad freight rates.
He atfirms that he heard Mr.. La Rue in
dorse the Democratic platform without
any reservations.
Among others at that convention and
who made affidavits similar to that of Mr..
To- r G~,n h
P. Lynch of Butte County, George H.
Hebert OF Ell Dorado County, E. ]. Rector,
w. A. Buchanan. Thomas Dunkley and
Moses Bates of Nevada County and John
Muldoon and J. w. Surface of Amador
County.
D. r. Sessions, a reporter, subscribed to
an affidavit of the same import. 1t was in
substance that he had interviewed Mr..
La Rue after his nomination, who stated
that he had pledged himself to make re-
duction of Is per cent upon railroad freight
rates. In the same interview, according
to the affiant, La Rue said that he would
do what was right between man and man.
There were numerous affidavits to show
that crops had fallen eff this year. Ac-
cording to A. T. Hatch, the Suisun fruit.
entire State for the year 1895 was one-third
less in quantity than the crop of last year
A. D. Cutler of the Cutting Packing Com
pany by his affidavit swore that the fruit
crop of '95 is not over rs per cent of what it
YVES last year.
H. Dutard estimates that the potato
crop is 10 per cent less. II. Eleoser, hop
dealer, estim ated that the output of hops
is 1850 bales less than the 1894 crop. D.
T. Fowler, Fresno fruit-grower, also GER
titled that the fruit crop is much less.
According to his figures there were 600
carloads of fresh fruit shipped East, while
this year there were only 400 carloads, or
decrease of 1000 carloads.
W. H. Wright's affidavit was that of the
fruit and vegetable crop there was 20 per
cent less sent out of the State this year
than there was last. B. N. Rowley, a
dealer in horticultural and viticultural
products, declares that the output of the
commodities in which he deals was less.
A. G. Freeman, commission merchant,
declares that the farm products of the
State are 20 per cent less than last year.
H. C. GooGsell of the refrigerator car
line of the same name certified that the
general crop of the State this year was
from one-third to two-ffths less than in
1894.
John II. Wheeler, secretary of the Cali
fornia Wine-makers' Corporation, aud P.
c.. Rossi OF the same institution filed affi-
davits that the wine output this year was
not over 70 per cent of what it was last.
T. G. Friedlander, secretary of the San
Francisco Produce Exchange, certified
that the volume Of wheat transported from
the State this year was much less than in
1894. E. G. Chaddock of Chaddock 6, Co.
and the Home Packing Company, certified
that the dried fruit and raisin crop this
year was far below. w. H. Wood, who
deals in potatoes principally, certified that
the crop of 1895 was from Is to 1917 less
than that of 1894.
George Abbott, wool buyer, stated that
the wool clip of 1895 was less than that OF
former years. He claims that the wool
clip of this year was l SOC, 900 pounds, or
per cent, less than last year. Simon Kosh-
land. wool merchant, estimates the de-
crease in wool shipped East this year to be
per cent compared with last year. C.S.
Moses, a dealer in wool, places this years