The record-union., 1895-08-31


is Mnch Greater Than In the East.
SAN Francisco, Aug 30.-The rooms
ofthe Railroad Commissioners were again
crowded this morning when President La
Rue called the meeting to order. Inc sec
rotary read a communication from tne
Property Owners Union of San Diego
asking for a copy of the laws OF fran
chise. 1t stated that the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe railroad had failed to
give the people of that section OF the
country service over the line from San
Diego TO Barstow, although the line hao
been granted subsidy of S6.0OO,O0O. a
storm had destroyed a portion OF the
road and the people had never been aoie
TO get the Atchison, Topeka and Santa + Q
to reopen operations over the entire line.
They want advice as TO their rights In
the premises The communication was
filed for consideration as soon as the
Southern Pacific matter could be nm
ished.
Attorney Martin for the Southern "a
cific stated that AT yesterdays session MI.
Smurr had been asked for some descrlp-
ton of the country through which the
Oregon Hallway and Navigation Com
pany' g line passed, as comparisons had
been made between rates on that roau
and Southern Pacific rates. Mr.. Smurr
could not comply with this request. MI
Martin stated that there was gentleman
present who could give the desired IN
formation. With the permission OF the
commission he introduced w. Is. curtis,
! the newly appointed Traffic Manager OF
the Traffic Association
DIR. Stanton asked Mr. Curtis If he were
not the Curtis of that association, ana ne
answered that he was the same Mr.. Cur
It's, He produced map ana described
the topography. soil and climatic condl-
tions of the country through which the
o. r. and y. passed. He said that from
The DalIes the road passed through
rich wheat country.
MIR. Sinurr then read from tabulated
statement figures showing the freight
rates between the stations on all the
branches of the Southern Pacific system,
and the rates charged by the Illinois
roads running into Chicago.
Mr.. Smurr also compared the North
ern Pacific rates with the South
ern Pacific rates on the Stockton
branch. Then he read statistics bearing
on the charges TO San Luis Oblspo and
San Jose and next he read the rates es-
tablished by the Iowa Railway Commls-
sioners He said that the figures might
show that the Southern Pacific rates were
higher than the Iowa rates, but that he
hoped the Commissioners would bear in
mind the difference in the cost Of opera
ton.
Mr.. Smurr and Commissioner LaRue
had a long discussion over the rates from
Marysville to Port Costa. The Commls-
sioner said that the milling wheat pro-
duced in the country tributary to Marys-
Vile was sold to the mills of the flour
trust. and the balance had to be shipped
to Port Costa. He thought that there
should be a lower rate To tide water. so
that the Marysville farmers could COM
pete with other growers of wheat for
shipment.
Mr.. Smurr said that he could not agree
with this. if the volume of traffic did not
warrant it. He said that If the rates were
lowered in order to give the farmers a
chance TO reach the Liverpool market
there was no assurance that clipper rates
would not be raised to offset the differ
ence. Once when the company did lower
these rates clipper rates did go up accord
ingly.
Mr.. LaRue thought that the rise in
clipper rates might have been due 10
other causes than TO the lowering OF rail-
road rates.
Mr.. Smurr said that the railroad COM
pany had reduced rates in special cases
the branch line from Honcut Station TO
Marysville had not been made as low as
on the main line, because the volume OF
business did not warrant il.
Commissioner LaRue said that he did
not think it right TO charge the farmers
in this section tlfty cents more than along
the lower lines, and the freight agent re-
piled that if the Commissioner were con-
ducting q railroad business he would
probably want TO get paying rates on all
his lines or else he would not want TO do
the business st all.
The Commissioner departed from
wheat rates TO say that he had vineyard
near Davisville that produced about 800
tons of wine grapes q year, and that he
had paid the railroad $40 al acre every
year. He had beeu charged for switching
the cars, and had been unable To secure
from the railroad an adjustment of unjust
charges.
Mr.. Smurr had said that in cases where
improper charges were made the farmers
could get redress by applying to the rail-
road.
The board took recess until 2 o'clock,
and when it reconvened MIR. Smurr re-
marked that Commissioner LaRue yes-
terday had something TO say OF rates over
the Northern Pacific in Dakota He had
been looking UP the Railroad Commits
sioners' reports OF North and South Da-
kota.
Mr.. LaRue said he had stated that
wheat was transported over the railroad
in Dakota for cent ton mile.
Mr.. Smurr said he had been unable tc
find any authority for that anu asked i
the Chairman's figures were from loca
sources or FROM the Interstate Commerce
reports.
Mr.. LaRue was unable to state just
where those particular figures had been
secured.
Mr.. Smurr then resumed his reading
The first statement was OF rates TO Por
Costa, from San Diego TO Port Costa and
between stations IN southern California
and over the Atchison, Topeka and SAINTS
Fe system TO Kansas City. The schedule
Included the Interstate figures. The
next statement was comparison of the
rates over the Southern Pacific 100 miles
from Port Costa with the rates into Eas
Portland in Oregon aud Albany, Oregon
over The Oregon roads.
Commissioner LaRue remarked that
many Of the comparisons showed the
rates over the Oregon roads to be lower
than the Southern Pacific rates.
Mr.. Smurr assented TO this, but said be
hoDed the bitter would be taken with the
sweet. He then read q statement of the
Grain hauled to Port Costa and other
POINTS in 1898 and 1894. In the former
wear the railroad handled S03. coo tons O.
grain. OF which 473, 900 went TO Port Costa
In 1898 it handled only 456, 600 tons. about
half-crop. Port Costa received abou
the same proportion. About % per cent
of the wheat was grown in the three
GREAT valleys of the State. the Salinas
the Sacramento and the San Joaquin
Valleys.
MINISTER RANSOM.