The Topeka state journal., 1899-11-18
ADJOURNS FOR HOLIDAYS.
Interstate Commerce Commissioners
Will Meet Next on Pacific Coast


St. Louis, Nov 18.-The interstate
commerce commission, after being in
session five days in ST. Louis, taking
testimony in the case of the Business
Mems league of st. Louis, against the
transcOntinentaI railroads, adjourned
to meet at some point on the Pacific
coast after the Christmas holidays.
One thing that has become manifest
during the hearing, IS that the parties
most interested in the maintenance OF
the present freight rates, are the South
ern Pacific railroad and the jObbers and
manufacturers of the Pacific coast.
While a number of other roads were
made nominal defendants, all but the
Southern Pacific were conspicuously st-
lent, not propOunding a single question
during the hearing. The counsel of the
Southern Pacific were exceedingly ac-
tivev, as was the Jobbers and Manu-
facturers' association of the coast.
Before taking a final adjournment
Chairman Knapp of the commission,
said:
THE commission is impressed with
the Importance of the case and desires
to be in possession of every fact that
may have a material bearing on the is
sues involved. 1t is manifest that a
great variety Of interests are affected,
and further we are of the opinion that
economic questions of the graVeSt i'm
port, threatening the commercial pro-
gress of two great sections of the coun-
try, are at stake.
L
is demanded and, therefore, the COM
mission will not close the case upon
both sides have been given ample Op-
pOrtunity to produce in the testimony
every pertinent fact relating to the
subject"
He then announced that the commits
sion would adjourn to meet some time
after the holidays on the Pacific coast.
All parties would be notified in due
| time of the place and exact date of the
meeting.
Before the adjournment, Richard L.
Walker, traffic manager of the Panama
| Steamship company, was placed on the
stand by the respondents. Mr.. Walker
| said that his company was operated in
| conjunction with the Pacific Steamship
company, and engaged, in carrying
| freight from New York to the Pacific
I coast. At the present time they car
| ried about 1000 tons of freight every
! month from ocean to ocean. Their rates
/ We're made in carload and less than car
! load lots. Carload lots were carried for
( 80 per cent below rail rates. while less
! than carload lots were taken for 20 per
| cent below rail rates.
| He said that he had made no ar
| rangement with any competitor where
| by the ordinary rules of competition
| were affected. He made a difference
| in carload and less than carload rates
because it was done by the railroads.
| On cross examination, Mr. Walker
| said the Panama railroad company
owned a line OF ships and controlled by
! contract the Pacific Steamship com
| pany c. P. Huntington was president
| of that line, and was also president OF
| the Southern Pacific railroad The
| Panama line controlled the westbOund
| business, and the Pacific steamship
| line controlled the eastbOund freight
| There was a. division of profits between
the two companies on a percentage
basis.
He had no agreement with the rail
roads, though there was a tacit under
standing that he should have a monthly
. Il v-ea7 q
certain monthly allowance from the
railroad companies, which was not tC
prevent them from competing, but wa:
paid for space. The price for this space
was higher than could have been OBJ
tafned. for any line of goods they migh
| transport.