The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-12-10
THE MATTER OF ADVANCING
COMMISSION RATES CON
SIDERBD.
There WAS NOTH|NGDONE YESTERDAY
The Meeting Adjourned Until Tuesday
in Order That All the Railroad Men
May Swear to What They Say
Concerning the Matter.

| ing of railroad traffic managers with the
commission to consider the application of
the Texas lines for genera! advance
in rates of freight. All the principal
roads were represented by traffic mana
gers and legal counsel. Judge Terry of
| the Santa Fe, Judge Perkins of the Cot
ton Belt, Judge Lovctt of the Houston
and Texas Central and Col. I.assitcr of
the Fort Worth and Rio Grande were
the spokesman of the roads.
By agreement the reading of the appi-
| cation of the roads and the reply of the
| commission to the same, indicating the
| points on which evidence was desired,
was waived, the same having been pub
| lishcd in the newspapers.
Judge Reagan said: The commission
would like to take up the several propo-
sitions made by the commission in reply
to the application of the railroads and
| consider each in order"
Judge Terry said: LET us offer our
| data of each road first, and then let the
| commission or any one else than the rail
roads offer what evidence is desired"
Judge Reagan-Does your data refer TO
state rates?
Judge Tcrry-To state and interstate
rates.
Judge Rcagan-Thc commission pre-
fers to take up the inquiry first on the
several questions contained in our reply
to the application.
Judge Terry-On that line we have
prepared joint answer to the questions
submitted by the commission.
Judge Rcagan-We insist on hearing
! the answer to our questions first.
Judge Torry-Then read the joint re-
ply of the Dads.
1t was quite lengthy and covered de-
mails of injustice TO Texas roads mer-
chants and consumers from interstate
rates established by the traffic associa
ton and denials of determinations and
rebates.
The first question to be considered then
being on rates unjust to the roads, in
volving consideration of reduced tonnage
and shrinkage in revenues, Judge Reagan
stated as all the rest of the inquiry
hinged upon this question, that the com
mission would require the evidence upon
it to be under oath. The commission
wanted TO know just how these things
are.
Judge Terry said: I'VE have had our
statements made from our books. 1t has
not been usual to have them sworn to,
but we can have the officers who make
the statements here tomorrow, possibly"
Judge Rcagan-We insist ON the evil
dcnce being sworn to.
Judge Terry-We cant have them
sworn to today, the parties who made
them not being here. Mr.. Polk of the
Santa Fe is here, however, and can tes-
tify to the statements in geleral way
as correct from the books. We might
get the parties here by wiring them to
come, but would suggest it 80 over till
Monday.
Judge Reagan-We insist upon the
statements being verified, but there are
others present who may be prepared to
go on with the inquiry, and we Will hear
them.
Col Lovett of the Houston and Texas
Central-We are in the same situation
as the Santa Fe. We have our state
ments, but the witnesses are not here to
verify them. The statements are taken
from our books and it will be necessary |
TO have the officers who made them
here.
Mr.. I.assitcr, attorney Of the Fort
Worth and Rio Grande-Can't the annual
reports of the operations OF the roads |
giving data rs to revenues and expenses
which are filed with the commission and
sworn to, be admitted in evidence?
Judge Terry-Such reports as are al
ready on file and sworn to are III evi- |
dence, are they not!
Judge Reagan-1es, sir. |
Judge Perkins-We have prepared |
statement for the Cotton Belt OF rates
revenues and expenses. local and inter
state rates and revenues and operating
expenses. That Is the data we have pre-.
pared and can substaniiate, but should
like to know the scope of the enquiry so
as TO know which witness we will be re-
quired to produce here. The books in our
general office furnish the date for the
statement. This data comes up to the
general office from the operations of the
road in its various departments, and at
the depots 1t is gathered into the audi
tors books, and the statements are made
IN from the books which contain sum
mary of the reports made from the origi-
nal books at the various stations. III
these original books of entry are to be
the investigation will be in
terminable 1t can't be made in year.
Judge Reagan-We will deal with each
question as it comes up.
Judge Stedman-It might be well to
decide whether we shall have the books
of the stations here or whether we shall
depend on reports from these books to
auditors until they are questioned in some
way.
Judge Perkins-We don't want to limit
the enquiry, but we only want to know
what is necessary to be shown. We want
to show that the auditors statement
sworn to is correct from his books.
Judge Reagan-Such statements are
prima facia good evidence unless ques-
toned.
Judge Perkins-They will be accepted
unless their correctness Is questioned.
The books of the auditor are very large
and needed in the Office every day.
Judge Terry-If the commission has
cause to question the accuracy of any
statement made from the auditors books
they have the authority specially granted
to send to the Office Of the railroad and ex-
anime them.
Judge Reagan-If we find it desirable
we can have the books examined in case
we find any statement questionable, but
we insist upon the statements being veri-
fed.
This closed the business and as the
statements of operations of the various
railroads were not verified the further
of the matter was post
poned till Tuesday by which time the
nttn hn fteti y