The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-04
LA RUE PAYS
HIS RESPECTS
TO W H. MILLS
Says He Was Tender
ed a Gold Brick.
NEW BOARD TAKES OFFICE
EDISON ELECTED TO THE CHAIR
MANsHIP.
Clark Gives Some Significant Advice
to the Members Of the Incon-
ing Railroad Com
mission.

With no ceremony and with little for
mality the old Board OK Railroad C9Hl-
missioners yesterday morning rem
Quished their Offices. enaoIan1en and non
ors to their sUccessor-E. =. Edsons =.
Blackstock and c. S, Lasnaeistsr.
Before retiring Chairman La Rue 81 tns
old board took parting fling at ire
railroad company for its insidioUs and
treacherous course in relation to ths
per cent grain rate reduction resolution,
and at the same time explained MS per
sonal position in regard 70 the matter.
He opened the proceedings BY relating
how the Southern Pacific Company,
through the agency OF ". II. Mills at
tempted to sell him & gold brick in con-
nection with the pending litigation, which
resulted from the efforts Of the commits
sion to reduce grain rates in the State
per cent. He said:
1T has been published that 1t was my
fault that the pending suit was not dis
missed and the farmers thus given the
benefit of the reduction in rates. l sim
Div want to say that 1 was ready to have
the case dismissed whenever the ralroad
filed its proposition, as suggested oy MI
Mills"
For the evident benefit Of the new mem
bers Mr.. La Rue made the following slg-
nifcant comment on the pending suit IN
the United States Circuit Court regard
ing grain rate reductions:
'llaT case II 1OI4OHEe1 GP ~ q I-L.S
sion in the manner it should be will,
think. establish the fact that the com
mission is authorized TO make reductlens
in freight rates, but until tnat SUI Is
carried TO q determination you Will not
be able to do much l WOuld Ike 70 See
il prosecuted TO a proper termination.
Commissioner Clark disaVoweG any =
rect KNOWLEDGE of the railroads OH6T 10
COMPROMISE but intimated that such
proposition as that mentioned would nave
received his support. He then oHered ms
osIx n ~ o..
and without price;
way by which the eomml sslon can De o.
some use to the people OF Callfornia-tnat
is for the commission TO act IN co-opera-
ton with the railroad. l beheVe some
good could be accomplished by actlns IN
unison. If a complaint comes IN, take Il
TO the railroad company.
This suggestion had the remarkable
effect of electrifying Commissioner HIN
ton out of his perennial state OF soLllo-
lence and causing him TO rejoln: Nv ny,
under those circumstances this instltu-
ton might Just as well be abolished
Clark then called attention 10 the. Iacl
that the efforts of the commission 10 reg
ulate the freight rates OF the railroad naq
already cost the State about S3o,Vy1' anu
nothing had been accomplished, ana
added that it did not pay TO ngnt the
railroad.
stating that the commission had not been
fighting the railroad but that the rali-
road had been fighting the commission
After briefly reviewing the work Of the
board for information OF the incoming
members and explaining the. present
status of matters pending before the
board, Chairman La Rue. on motion OF
Commissioner Clark. declared the old
board adjourned sine die, and the new
board Immediately met.
The members organized by electing E
B. Edison chairman, W. T. SesnOn seere-
tary, Peter Foley bailif and James D.
Brown stenographer. The salary OF the
secretary is $240 a year. Of the bailfn
$500 and Of the .stenograp her $500.
AT the afternoon session OF the board
il was decided 20 take up the Pullman car
investigation tomorrow afternoon at
o'clock. It was also agreed TO hold
monthly meetings on the second Monday
of each month, beginning with February.
Chairman Edison was appointed COM
rnittee of one TO investigate the matter OF
the application of the Crescent City and
smith River Railroad Company 10 raise
its rates.
Dissatisfaction was expressed over the
small quarters occupied as the Offices of
the commission. and the secretary was in
strlIcted to look for more cOmmodious
ones during the week Adjournment was
taken until Thursday afternoon