The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-21
COMPLAINTS OF DALLAS.
Commissioners Listened to Evidence
on the Matter.
ONLY FIRST QUESTION TAKEN Up.
Many Glasses of business Arc Inter
cstcd In the Matter and We're
Rcprcsentcd--Locul Notes.
lRST QUESTION TAKEN Up.


road men, wholesale dealers and LAWYERS
thronged into Dallas this morning To he
present at the hearings of the interstate
commerce commission. which were begun
in the district court room of the Federal
building today. aud will be concluded to-
mellow.
William II. Morrison of Illinois. Judson
C. Clements of Georgia, c. a. Prouty of
Vermont and Martin Knapp OF New
York, four members OF the commission:
secretary Il. a. Mosely of Washington city
and Stenographers John j. McAulilie and
frank Lyon constituted the commission
Commissioner Yeomans OF Iowa having
gone from Fort Worth yesterday.
Besides these. nearly every railroad III
the Southwest and the Houston. Galveston
Fort Worth. New Orleans. Kansas City and
st. Louis freight bureaus were represent
ed by strong delegations
IL. w. Garrow. president of the Houston
Cotton Exchange: C. W. Bein. traffic man
aEer of the Southern Pacific: w. B. Crosse
close of the Missouri. Kansas and Texas
freight department: Henry lIenke. whole
sale grocer, and judge X. s. Lovett. at
torney of the Southern Pacific represented
Houstcn's interests, General Manager l..
]. Polk. General Freight Agent r. II.
Goodwin. ATTORNEY j. w Terry. all of the
Santa Fe, and Commissioner j. b. Denisun
Of tho Galveston freight bureau were
among those present from the Island City.
General Traffic Manager ID. Miller aud
General ATTORNEY James Haeerman of the
Missouri Kansas and Texas and u. C.
Wray. formerly rate clerk of tho South
western Traffic association. were here from
st. Louis.
A. i. valandlncham and W. II. Mas
tiers, commissioners respectively of the
Kansas CITY and New Orleans freight Blu
reaus, represented those cities.
Fort Worth sent a big delegation. with
judge n. a. Stedman, formerly state rail-
read commissioner. now attorney for the
Dallas freight bureau, at its head, and To-
cal railroad men and iohbers swel'ed the
audience In the court room to several hum
dred.
Four complaints were lodged with the
commission by Dallas jobhers. Only one,
that of the first complaint was heard.
Suit No. l. brought by the freight bureau,
asks that Dallas be given certain advant
ages pertaining to what are known as wa
ter rates Under the present arrangement
Houston and Galveston, It is alleged get
rate of so cents per 100 pounds on first
class goods both by land and sea from
New York ard Atlantic seaboard points,
while Dallas is charged sl.75 per 100 for
similar goods from the same territory. The
say 1t does not cost any more to haul
carload from New York to Dallas than II
DOES to haul ii through Dallas. In this suit
all the roads in Texas and their outside
connections are made defendants.
Case No. . is against the Texas and Pa
cidc and other New Orleans lines and
seeks TO equalize rates from New Orleans
to Dallas and from New Orleans TO Kan
sas City and other Missouri river points.
The complaint charges that on sugar.
coffee, moasses. fruits cotton, rope and
other various products and comr-odities
originating in the Crescent City. rate Of
from 40 to 60 per cent higher Is charged
for hauling TO Dallas than for hauling to
Kansas City and other Missouri river
points. More particularly on such carloads
that are hauled through Dallas to Kansas
City.
The third case. also making all the rail
way lines defendants. asks for carload
rate from New York to Dallas on dry
goods. clothing, boots and shoes and hats
and caps. The fourth suit petitions the
commission for n reduction Of 81 per bale
OF 500 pounds Of cotton from Dallas to
New Orleans
The railroads claim that under present
conditions, chief of which is the water rate
via New Orleans, the arrangement now in
operation is absolutely essential
A vast amount OF testimony was intro
dnced by the railroad attorneys and every
witness was subjected to rigid cross
examination by Judge Stedman.
Commissioners Masters OF New Orleans
and Nallandingham of Kansas City. Rate
Clerk Wray OF ST. Louis, Mr. Hente Of
Houston and several others supported the
claims of the railroads. The Dallas freight
bureau presented no evidence, but related
It's case on a statement Of facts.
Tomorrow the commission will conclude.
If possible, the other three hearings. They
viii leave at night for Memphis. An order
by the commission is not expected for sew
eral months. Many of those present at to-
days session left for their homes tonight
as practically every feature that will be
touched upon has been discussed.
Commissioners Mayfield and Storey Of
the Texas railroad commission were inter-
ested listeners at the hearing today