Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-03-19

need not necessarily walt for COM
plants.
Then we shall be glad to hear the
reason for your proposed excessive re-
duction OF s5 per cent on what are
short hauls."
Then came a lengthy colloauy between
Judge Stedman and Mr.. Jones, In which
the latter insisted that shis road could
not stand the proposed reduction OF
short hauls.
Mr. Downey produced figures from
his office to show the impossibility OF
their doing business at lower rates.
much less at the 40 per cent reduction
proposed by the commission. When
asked for some details, Mr.. Downey ex-
planned that his office force had been
necessarily so cut down that he had
not been able to get up the required
data. lie explained further that his
road viii have to again reduce ex-
penses by cutting salaries.
Mr.. j. Il. Leith, representing the
Texas Enthusiastically known as the
Electric Light Road"-ontered pro-
test from the "only short line road
represented here" against the pro-
posed reduction. Our road" said Mr..
Leith. has n pretty hard time at best:
but with these rates In force we may
rs wen so out of business. We 70 In
to make every dollar we can, but we
Mr.. Sterlay. chief clerk of the Fort
Worth and Denver. said that his
road Ia wheat producing line. but
that IL has no direct line to market.
Our wheat originates over hundred
miles from Fort Worth. which Is our
connecting point hut not our market.
Some OF our connecting lines have re-
fused to accept our grain at the COM
mission rates So far as we are con-
ccrned the situation Is very grave.
While the proposed reduction may be
about % per cent, the reduction will he
on some of our hauls at least 80 per
cent"
j. y Dennison. agent OF the Calves
ton freight bureau. said that there had
been no complaint as to grain rates;
and that II the commission were set on
reducing rates on something it should
be on cotton.
G. w. Barnhnrdt, general freight
agent OF the Cotton Belt said that his
road is not making money. but that
some OF their trouble lay In the en9rn.
Gus switching CHARGES at Fort worth
winch. In some cases. are $3.50 per car.
Judge Perkins went into an argu-
ment against the proposed reduction
based on facts from his road He
pleaded that the road be not forced in
10 the hands Of receiver. at least
until the records OF the last receiver
snip Is dry rs to the ink wherewlth
they are written. Judge Perkins ad-
mitted that he had always been ia
Norably inclined 10 Dallas but at this
time he believed the complaints COM
Ing from the Dallas freight bureau are
neither business nor patriotic In their
origin. He felt compelled to suspect
that politics had some share In these
complaints.
Colonel Polk said, in answer to n
statement by Judge Storey, that the
roads ieading from Dallas had pro-
Of ~ cents by paying the elevator
charges OF | cent
Judge 7. j Freeman, general at-
torney for the Texas and Pacific. dis
ousscd the question at lenuth, after
which the commission took the matter
under 0dvisement
The meeting was a very earnest ono
and every railroad REPRESENTATIVE naJe
an argument on an appeal based on tho
proposition that IF you enforce tbls
REDUCTION you will certainly force us
into |DaukruDtpy 40