The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-31
RAILROADS ARE TO RESIST.
JOINT TRAFFIC ASSOCIATION LAW
YERS IN CONFERENCE.

Il
ion That the Decision i'm the Trans
Missouri Case Does Not Apply to
the Joint Traffic AssociatiOn-Scv-
ernl Men of National RcnOwn at
the GRthering-Westcrn Roads
Called on For Their bills of Lad
ing.
New York, March 3O.-An important con-
ference between counsel for the members
of the Joint Traffic Association was held
to-day in the offices of Carter x Ledyard
No, 81 Wall street.
The conference, which was attended by
the attorneys from almost every railroad
included In the Joint Traffic Association,
was for the purpose of discussing the de-
cision of the supreme court, in the Trans
Missouri Freight Association case. There
are capable lawyers who declare that this
decision does not apply to the Joint Traf-
fc Association, and all the phases of the
situation were discussed.
The meeting was held behind closed
| doors, and reporters were excluded.
Among those present were e. ]. Phelps
ex-minister to England, special counsel
for the New York Central; Frank Loomls
| also of the New York Central John b.
Kerr of the Ontario and Western, ex-
United States Senator George +. Ed
munds, special counsel for the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company; Receiver j. X
Cowan of the Baltimore and Ohio ex-
| Judge Ashbel Green of the West Shore
| Frank Bond of the Michigan Central, j.
| B. Jennings of the Erie, Henry Wyckham
| Of the Chesapeake and Ohio, r. w. De
Forest of the Jersey Central. and James
| G.. Carter and Lewis c. Ledyard counsel
| for the Joint Traffic Association.
The conference lasted until nearly
/ o'clock. When IL adjourned, MIR. Ledyard
| announced that a letter had been drawn
up and sent to the Joint Traffic Assocla-
| tion, giving the views of the legal advisers
THE decision reached" said Mr.. Led
| yard. was to join with the United States
| government in procuring as early as pos
sible a hearing in the Joint Traffic Asso-
citation appeal
THE attorney general is to make a mo
| ton without concurrence In the supreme
court on Thursday next to have the ap
| peal heard In the present term. In the
| meantime the Joint Traffic Association
| has been advised to continue as 1t has
heretofore, pending the determination of
| the legality of the organization"
Mr. Ledyard, when asked what steps
| the Joint Traffic Association would take
| in case the supreme court decided the or
! ganlZatlOn was Illegal sbiu Anht lhe tOH-
ference did not consider that phase Of the
situation.
When the case comes up In the supreme
| court the argument for the Joint Traffic
| Association will be made by Mr. Carter,
ex-Minister Phelps and ex-senator Ed
| munds. The railroads expect this tormid-
able array of legal talent to present their
case in a way that will result in de-
cision in their favor.
Chicago, H.. March 3O.-All the eastern
railroads, which enter Chicago, except the
Chicago and Grand Trunk, have received
notices from the interstate commerce
commission to forward to the ofnces at
washington, on or before April 10, all bills
Of lading and other evidences of shipment
Of grain and grain product and packing
house products between April !, 1895 and
March /. 1897 This notice created some
surprise and concern among the freight
! officials who had been inclined 60 treat
lightly the published announcement that
the commerce commission, aided by the
| Chicago Board OF Trade investigation
next month, intended TO make a searching
| jnouiry into the giving of reduced rates
! The omission of the Grand Trunk from
| the list was agreed TO be mistake, al
! though the first impression gave rise to
| charges
most In rate cutting Chicago officials say
/ the evidence desired will be prepared as
i soon as possible, and they are afraid to
| be caught furnishing false statements to
the commission.
! An important meeting of presidents,
general officers and traffic men connected
/ with western roads will be held In the
| Rookery tomorrow. II is understood that
the plan to be carried out. In view of the
1 supreme courts recent decision, has al
/ ready been prepared by committee.
The proposition is to maintain the West
| ern Freight Association as a bureau OF
1 statistics and information. This Is rem
/ dered necessary chiefly because the five
1 members Of the board Of administration
/ are under two years contracts to the as
| ISOLATION at salaries Of $4,000 each and
| the railroads cannot utilize their services
| in any other manner To the railroads
! interested the bureau will really be for the
| purpose Of enforcing the maintenance Of
| uniform rates by one road acting as q
| Shy and informer on the Others and threat
| ening exposure to the interstate commerce
commission for every secret violation OF
| the law in making discriminatory rates.
/ which may be discovered by a competitor
! There Is 60 be a verbal contract embrace
| ing the salient features of the present
| agreement omitting the direct penalty
| clause. This agreement 90 inform on vio-
| Iators of the law Is considered the only
way to prevent secret rate cutting
Passenger officials OF western roads met
to-day ana decided 70 continue the mile
age and clergy permit bureaus OF the
Western Passenger Association. The gen
| eral organization will be maintained for
| the purpose Of compiling statistics and
disseminating them for general informa.
tiOn.
Messrs. Newman OF the Great Northern,
Munroe Of the Union Pacific, Bosworth OF
| the Canadian Pacific ana Bissell OF the
santa Pc were to-day on their way to
New York to attend a meeting Of eastern
railroad men. The question Is 10 agree
on a division Of west-bound trans-conti-
mental business.
w. A. Russell, general passenger agent
| Of the st. Paul and Duluth road. has re-
signed.
i
Two Nominations Sent In.