The Anaconda standard., 1899-11-18
COMMISSION ADJOURNED.
The Southern Pacific Railroad Wants the
Rates Kept Up.

st. Louis, Nov 1.-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
| transcontinental railroads, adjourned
! to-day at noon to meet at some point
on the Pacific after the Christmas hol-
idays.
One thing that has become manifest
| during the hearing is that the parties
most interested in the maintenance or
| the present freight rates re the South
| ern Pacific railroad and the jobbers
and manufa cturers 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-
tive. as was the Jobbers' and Manu-
facturers' association of the coast.
Before taking a final adjournment 20
day Chairman Knapp of the commits
sion said:
The commission is impressed with
the Importance of the case and desires
to be in possession of every fact that
may have 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 prog
ress of two great sections of this coun-
try, are at stake.
The fullest and widest investigation
is demanded and therefore the commits
sion will not close the case until both
sides have been given ample opportu-
nifty 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
10
Before the adjournment. Richard I.
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.
At the present time they carried about
1000 tons of freight each month from
ocean to ocean. Their rates were made
in carload and less than carload lots.
Carload lots We're carried in 80 per cent
below railroad rates, while less than
carload lots We're taken for 20 per cent
below railroad rates.
He said that he had made no ar
rangement with any competitor where
by the ordinary rules of the competi-
tion were affected.
On cross-examination Mr.. Walker
said the Panama railway company
owned a line of ships and controlled
by contract the Pacific Steamship COM
pany. G. P. Huntington was president
of that line and was also president Of
the Southern Pacific railroad. The
Panama line controlled the west-bound
business and the Pacific Steamship
company controlled the east-bound
freight. There was a division of profits
between the two companies on a per-
centage basis.
He had no agreement with the rail-
roads. though there was tacit under
standing that he should have a month
ly tonnage of 5000 tons. He received a
certain monthly allowance from the
railroad companies which was not to
prevent them from competing, but was
paid for space. The price for this
space was higher than could have been
obtained for any line of goods they
might transport.