The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-07

The railroad committees of the two
houses of the legislature met in joint
session in representatives hall at the
Joint building last evening to hear an
expression of opinion from all persons
interested relative to the necessity Of
such a law as is contemplated in Nor
rison's H B. No. 50, providing for a
railroad commission who shall have
power TO regulate rates Of fare and
freight transportation in Utah. The
meeting was attended by nearly full
representation Of the committees and
quite a gathering Oh interested person
ages. Among the latter were f. D.
Kimball. S. W. Sears. j. H. NfcGregor,
receiver of the Utah Central, James F.
Clinton. of the Sanpete Valley road,
Fred j. Leonard, of the Hecla mine,
Mereur F. J. Kiesel, of Ogden, Richard
Adams, Simon Bamberger, of the Great
Salt Lake & Hot Springs road, j. @.
Packard, of Eureka, Z. w. Billings,
Colonel D. c. Adams W. F. Cotton
of the Rio Grande Western. Rudolph
Aft and J. H. Burgoon, of the Utah
Central
The meeting opened by the chairman.
Afr- Cazier of The house, informing the
gentlemen assemble that the purpose
OF the meeting was to hear an express
sion Of opinion concerning the bill. Mr.
CritchIow Of the committee from the
house suggested the bill be read by
sections and that those having views
thereon which they wished to express
be permitted 10 do so. He made
motion to that effect, which was car
ried; but the chair held a different
view and thought it unnecessary, as
the members were familiar with the
bill and he thought the proposition
was simply whether or not a commits
sion was desirable. Therefore all that
was necessary was to open discussion
on the subject. MI. CritchlOW thought
reading the bill would expedite mat
ters and after some further parley
called for either a reconsideration of
his motion or that it be complied with
The chair accordingly ordered the
reading, which proceeded without par
ticUlar incident until section was
reached, which provides that any dis
examination in charges for transporta-
ton shall be unlawful.
At this point Frank D. Kimbau re-
sponded to query if any present
knew OF any specific instances Of
some three years ago, he could not
exactly fix the time he had gone to
superintendent Babcock of the Rio
Grande Western, and asked that a
rate on coal the same as that given
the Pleasant Valley Coal company, be
extended to the company which he and
his brother represented. Instead of his
request being granted the rate was
raised to his concern rs cents higher
than the published schedule. Mr.. Bab-
cock had told him at the time that
he had TO protect the Pleasant Valley
company or lose his head.
Chairman Cazier asked if the same
conditions existed today. TO which Mr..
Kimbal replied that he had no reason
to believe there vas any change. Mr..
Morrison. of the committee, inter-
jected the remark that he had been
informed by MI. Babcock that the Rio
GRANGE Western didn't care to haul
coal for any other company than the
Pleasant Valley. at any price
s. W. Sears. who was at the time OF
the incident related, secretary of the
chamber of commerce, relates his eX-
peTience in the same matter. It was
between September * and August l..
1898. that himball and his brother had
called upon him at the chamber of
commerce and informed him of the diff
fc1 y that had been experienced in an
endeavo- to secure equitable rates. He
had reported the matter TO President
Donnellan and had been directed TO
Mr.. Babcock and ask if the
rate TO the himball Bros. was intended
to be prob ibitive. He had done 50 and
had been informed that such was the
intention Mr.. BaDcock had said:
90 You may handle US on interstate bus
mess but there is no law to control the
rate we charge within the territory"
" Z. Cotton, of the Rio Grande
Western. addressed the chair to state
that he had no doubt that Messrs Kim
bail and Sears stated facts which may
have existed at that time. but Mr.. Bah I
cock had no authority to take any
such step. He had known for years
that the policy Of the general manager
Of the road had been, not to embar-
raSs the local shipper but rather to
favor him. This must necessarily be
so; railroad men were unusually good I
business men and know as we'll as
any other business man ought TO
know that any other policy is
for the success OF
the road depends upon its local
If there had been auy (
abuses they could have been remedfed (
by application TO the general manager. /
Mr.. Cotton gave q ready No" to Mr. /
Critchlow's query if section would be I
TO his road. Mr. Critch- /
low then asked if the railroads would /
have any objection to a law making /
discrimination in transportation !
charges an offense, to which the repre-
Of the railroad interests all |
replied they would not
Mr.. Gushing. of the committee. took
occasion to say that all the railroads |
object to is a commission to hold a |
club over the heads of the railroads. |
Mr. Morrison asked if the bill did not
provide that the railroads could an |
peal to the courts. Mr.. Cushing re- !
piled yes, but that juries always saw |
its railroad, give it to EN-" The |
railroads were willing to have leeisIa-
ton but Of the right kind.
Section of the bill the one crea+
ing q railroad commission. precinifate
ment ~ IL
That section furnishes the kew notA
to the objection TO the bill. After il
had been read Simon Bamberger arose
to address the committee.
i am somewhat Of a railroad ma,
myself" said he, and what am
about 10 say will be in the na+,1re Of
turning states evidence. He tben
stated that he had been approached a
day or two ago by a railroad man
WHO had said, 1--WE don't want any
railroad law to help capital out of the