The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-20
Arguments Concluded in the Rate
Reduction Case
RAILROAD REORGANIZATION
Proves q Puzzling Problem for the Judi.
ciary Committee
Many and Serious Objections Are Urged
Against the Pending Bill and Amend
ments Are Not Unlikely


Associated Press Special Wire.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 19.-The ar
EumentS in the suit brought by the
Southern Pacific company to restrain
the railway commissioners from making
reductions in freight rates We're brought
to a close before Judge McKenna to-
day.
In taking the matter under considera-
ton Judge McKenna paid high tribute
to the contending lawyers, whom he
complmented at great length on the
Clearness of the arguments presented by
them and the careful consideration
which had been given to every detail.
His decision, he stated, would be rem
dered as soon as he had bee able to give
the matter the attention to which it
was entitled.
REORGANIZATION.
WASHINGTON, May 1s.-The bill to
authorize the reorganization of the
Northern Pacific is absorbing the atten-
ton of the committee on Judiciary this
week. Objections have been made to
the bill on account of questions which
representatives of certain interests in
Nolved in the reorganization have raised
and it is not unlikely that some import
ant amendments may be made. Today
Mr.. Morton S. Patton of New York, the
chairman of the reorganization commit
tee of the Seattle. Lake Shore and East
ern railroad bondholders, spoke against
the bill. Bonds of this branch amount
ing to S., 55S 900 have been guaranteed
by the Northern Pacific and under the
reorganization it is said the guarantee
will be lost. Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota
is endeavOring to secure amendments
which will hold the reOrganized commit
tee to the guarantees of titles to land
sold by the Northern Pacific in the past
He holds that the warranties of the land
titles will lapse with the REQ tganizati n
and that settlers whose titles may ne
found defective by the courts will have
no recourse unless special provision Is
made in the bill. There is II lch land in
the west which this phase of the question
affects. Mr.. Tawney will also try TO Sc
cure amendments to make the reofSan-
lied committee assume all past JudS-
mentS for labor and personal lnJtn les
Mr. Hartman of Montana addressed he
committee today in favor of certain
points of the bill. The features of the
plan which forbid the committee from
combining in any way with the rival
lines and takes it out of the power OF
the state legislatures to authorize COM
missions which would suppress compe-
tition are meeting with support from
representatives from the northwest.
Provision to compel the company TO
sell its grant lands within one mil. OF the
track at $3.50 an acre is also favored
but some exceptions are taken TO the
exclusion of mineral and timber lands
from this rule.
Senator Wilson of Washington urged
that an amendment be made winch
would include indemnity lands as we'll
as those in the plan limit, so as TO
bring the so-called lieu lands of Ore
gon and Washington within the pro-
visions of the bill.
CONVENTION RATES
SAN FRANCISCO. May 19.-The
Transcontinental Passenger assocla-
ton concluded its labors today ana ad-
journed to meet in Chlcago at uate y
be determined upon by Chairman Cald-
well. The definite work it accomplished
here was to make an agreement with the
roads between the Missouri river and
Chicago by which half rates will be
given to the Republican and Popullst
conventions at st. Louis, the Democrat
ic convention at Chicago, the Grand
Army encampment at st. Paul and the
Baptist young peoples convention al
Milwaukee. These half rates Will apply
from all western cities to the four west
ern cities mentioned above. Arrange
ments were also made with the roads
east of Chicago and st. Louis by winch
half rates will be given to the Christian
Endeavor convention at Washington
the National Educational association
at Buffalo and the Prohibition nationa
convention at Pittsburg.
Chairman Caldwell will at once pre-.
pare a circular letter about the reduced
rates to all conventions. This circular
will set forth in detail the roads by
which the tickets will be good in goine
and returning from the east, the day:
on which they will be offered for sale il
San Francisco and elsewhere in the Wesi
and the number of days they will b'
good for in coming back from the east.
The question of reducing transatlantic
tickets from California was postponed
until some further meeting at Chicago
The Southern Pacific and the Oregon
NAVIGATION companies were appointed
as special committee of two to try ant
settle their rate war between here anC
Portland rs soon as possible in orde1
to prevent those low rates from being
used as a basis on which to cut regula
overland rates from Portland and Sal
Francisco to st. Paul, Omaha and othe
eastern points.
MARTINEZ. May 19.-The suit o
Louis Gill against the Southern Pacific
| company for $50, 900 damages for injurie:
received in April, 1895, by being ru1
down at Siege station and which occu
| pied the attention of Judge Jones and t
! Jury for the past week, terminated thi
! evening, the jury rendering a verde
| In favor of the defendant.