The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-10
NEWS OF THE RAILROADS
RUDYARD KIPLING's ADMIRER
IS AN ENTERTAINER

Sounds Like n Romantic Pigment
of Munchausen, but the Soo,s
General Manager Shows That
They Happened on HIS Road.
surprise that will undoubtedly
cause a broad smile to play over his
features awaits Judge Amidon, of the
United States circuit court, when he
reads the testimony Of General Man
ager F. d. Underwood of the 500, TAX
en- yesterday in the North Dakota rate
case.
Mr.. Underwood was called as an ex-
pert witness by General Counsel Bum,
or the Northern Pacific. He was asked
TO tell of the difference in cost in hand
ling way and through freight. Under
the cross questioning of the attorneys
for the North Dakota commissioners
he was greatly restricted and was only
allowed to answer such questions as
the attorneys wanted answered, but
VIXEN he was turned back to Attorney
Bum on redirect examination he was
given full swing and allowed to tell
his story In his own way. On cross
examination he had attempted to give
couple Of Illustrations showing the
Increased cost of shipping way freight
over the handling of through freight,
but had not been allowed to do so.
On redirect, examination Attorney
Bum said: you may state, Mr.. I'm
derwood, the illustrations that the at
tOrneyS for the commissioners evident
ly do not want to hear
Il do not want to be considered flip
pant" said Mr.. Underwood, "but as
a matter Of fact the incidents that I
am about to relate really happened A
q firm OF - fI10
towns along our line shipped two bar
rels of liquid to two different men in
another town. One Of the barrels con-
tanned whisky and the other vinegar.
In shipping the barrels got mixed and
the man that should have received the
vinegar, received the whisky. The man
that should have received the whisky
got the vinegar. The man that got the
whisky swOre that he had received a
barrel of vinegar and refused to turn
1t back. The man that got the vinegar
refused to accept it, because he should
have received whisky. 1t took us two
months to find out what I have told
you in few words and the informa-
ton cost us $50. The gross earnings
on charges on the two shipments was
eighty cents and we did not get that.
That Is one illustration Of the cost of
handling local way freight
AT another time we had train load
of grain standing on the track at o
point on the line. A cyclone blew the
entire train g. distance Of seventy-two
miles toward the market, without the
burning of pound Of coal and with
out the cost Of a crew to look after the
train. That is an instance of the hand
ling of through freight at a reduced
COST"
Every one had hearty laugh over
the illustrations that had been given,
but they went in the sworn testimony
and will come before the court when
the arguments in the case are made.
All of Mr.. Underwood's serious testi-
mony was in support of the theory Of
the Northern Pacific that the cost Of
greater than the cost of handling
through freight. An effort was made
by the attorneys for the commissioners
to have Mr.. Underwood tell the differ
ence in the cost of handling local and
interstate freight, but he said that he
never expected to live long enough to
be able to answer such a question, ow-
ing to the fact that 1t depended on the
conditions, and these were constantly
varying.
In answer to questions Mr.. Under
wood said that If the railroad commits
sioners of North Dakota would allow
the 500 line to run local trains in car
load lots that they would be willing
for the commissioners to make any
rates that they might see fit and the
500 would abide by the rates.
'Under the present conditions" said
Mr.. Underwood, 1--WE are handling local
freight at loss"
General Manager w. A. Scott, of the
Omaha, was also called as an expert.
His testimony was, in effect, that the
cost of running local train was great
er than the cost of running a through
train, owing to the frequent stops made
by the local. He also testified that
while the through train might be car
rying the maximum amount of freight.
500 tons, the local might average but
little more than fifty tons, and that
the revenue would correspond with the
amount of freight.
The other witnesses called during the
day were ]. w. Kendrick and H. A.
Gray, of the Northern Pacific. The
testimony given by them was purely
along routine lines in connection with
the business of the Northern Pacific
in North Dakota.
The taking of testimony by the
Northern Pacific was concluded last
night and today the commissioners will
submit their side of the case.