The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-23

have been obtained against the company
Tor the reason that said injuries cause
progressive paralysis and were Of a perma
mem n character, bnt which were miracul.
ously cured by the bcneicent virtue of n
gfeenbaek plaster, the larger its deucmina-
tion the greater its efficacy
un the first day Of The fiscal year the
agsFeEate amount Of law suits pending be
lore the courts for alleged personal in
Juries was over Si5i,oO0. Since then other
suits aggregating nearly S2oO.0Oo have been
nled and we have already paid ont about
believe that the affairs Of the San An
tonic and Arkansas Pass Railway company
are managed as economically as those or
any road In the state and that no expense
is incurred except when absolutely ncccs
sary. Many localities are crying aloud for
improvements which, although necessary,
we are not In position TO make, ana as
you know. several Industries which might
nave been located on our line nave sought
other locations on roads which onercd inc
necessary accommodations which this com
rIny could not afford.
Kindly pace these facts before the rnil-
road commission, trusting that they win
give them their attention. Yours frulN,
NJ. ID. Montserratc,
Vice President and General Manager.
NJ. A. Sroonts, general attorney OF the
Fort Worth and Denver City railroad.
added his protest against the proposed re.
heGrcE showing that ais line had as yet
been unable Ia earn anything IKE fair
return upon the investment Involved In
its obstruction. although u had proven a
powerful factor In the WoIdeuul doN, iop-
meni of The section through which II
passes. Taxable values had increased ny
bounds IN its territory ana the school
funds land holdings therein had hcrH rem
nand created therefor. In consideration or
these rndenIahe benefits accruing FROM
Its construction, he thought it should bc
permitted 10 oaiay compensatory rates long
enough al ieacf 70 enable IL to get IS
head above water. With regard 70 the
Galveston complaint Of discrimination in
the matter Of insurance rates, he SAID that
WIS not matter the railroads were re
Sponsohe for nor was II ground Tor re-
ductlon In rates.
General Attorney Filman of the Te&as
and Pacific said he WAS not speaking Tor
"A load that was pleading poverty. II hnd
submitted to past reductions made 10y the
commission, putting faith in the promise
tina; an increase of tonnage wonli result
from such reductions. Now that the ton
mage had come all ii wanted was TO he
permitted to enjoy handling II for awhile
AZ n compensatory rate. The Texas ana
Pacific he declared contemplated the ex-
ing the current year as result or In? IN
creHsc NJ earnings Of the past two wears,
which the commission wanted to predicate
reduction Of rates upon The reduction
was not necessity, while The hetterment
were. There was no occasion from public
standpoint for deprlvlng tue company oi
the results Of its temporary prosperity, nut
thpTo was occasion from such q stann
point for the expenditure of the revenue
accruing therefrcm upon It's rondhcd
bridges. cquipmer.. ctr, that u mlghl ren
der u service commensurate In point a
safety and efficiency with the inrreasius
demands upon IT'S capacity to properly take
care Of the traffic originating upon anC
coming to its line.
! For the Cotton Belt railroad Judge e
r. Perkins spoke as follows
I There Is DO public demand for reduc
4 ton In the cotton rate. Tho commission
: announces that the hearing was called ~
/ the theory that the Increased earnings 2
! the railways would walrent q reduction u
/ the cotton ra1c, aud thar therefore, tho.
asked for the opinions of those interested II
the subject.
rhls involves the entire question OF tn
nnnncia infringement Of tallWaEs, II ca
not he determined by reference to ~
earnings of some favored line, because IA
rates promulgated Ivy the commission VII
he applicable alike 70 all lines; Therefore
tho condition of the railways ot I"Na
must be looked 10 Individuals ana 90
lectively. Taking the line that ] rcmoser
and examining Its record for II series
years beginning with lS'2 aud IN to en-
Including 1888, IT. will be found mat II Ia
dcdcit upon comparing rs income tr"i
operntion with an expenditure for better
nents. fixed charges and olnrr payments
during two Of those years tllera "as a Il,
fcit In It's operating expenses; IN iNHl
had A surplus Of $24 oOu. In 1900 II agai
had n dehcii. which left II with lArs
floating Indebtedness.
The commission suggests. however ihA
RAILWAYS are only entitled u earn n rra
onahIe return on their value. lol ~; at
nit however that this return 'p'lt' 1
nftcr the payment Of opera ing e. penst
ond the making Of necessary Improvement
Tpon this theory. Take thc table Eelmrf
IN the commission thrinsclres III I. cir r
mort for year ending June -. l4E; We I'M
from table Ne. IL that the = Louis SOU
westoru Rnilway connluv of Texas cnrc
4 on the amount Of its outstanding sihcl
and bonds only 3,li tor e1i. an'l ma;
earned on the commission valuation ri u
property only jT5 per cent, ana " * 70
Enoyn that rho commission VA uatioh dn'
MOI represent the general value " the pr"
erty, vet the earnings wcre ~ yllt' ~ IT'
copdiiion Is not peculiar tn our line ~
san Antonio ana Arg'sns Pass rai'wa
only had net eatnlnss snnlHe9i I" pa
no per cent on the valuation of rs PRO
errv as fixed by the commission, ~
corld only have paid 10 por cent OF Il
amount & F IT, 9 wsrth ana SsSG X
railway company had net earnings sun
cIent IN hive paid only .. 40 Per re'lt
he amount Of its outstanding stocks ~
/ bonds, and to haze paid on,r G.iS per 20
mon the valuation OF Us property hNed
Takinc an the railways in the state
eient TO have paid 3.13 por cent on Il
amount Of their outstanding stock al
bonds and could only have paid 7.D0 p
cont on the commission Valuations Of thi
nrnpcrties The valuation made by q
commission as will be admitted, was ma
AZ the time when all commodities We
) cheaDer than ever before In the history
! mo country, and as we hope cheap
] fhon they ever will he again, because
? hcIIeye that high prices are beneficial
; ! an agricultural community. She comm
: | sion thcn will not Insist that Tho rnlwa
~ tho state could now be duplicated
ANYTHING like the valuation that the 60
mission has placed npon their prODcrsi'
'rhe incrpnsed cost would he much M
tban sufficient 10 make such a diferen
mar The income for the year referred
n-nuld not have paid anything Ike i
cent upon the amount Of money that
,. v,ould take to duplicate thr prnperii
! ,rberefore II is not true that the railwa
Il are parning greater amount of mon
- than they are entitled TO earn. Their ca;
: ings 40 not indicate that their rates d
4 oiiher unreasonable OF unjust II Is tr
;. fhat the net income has Increased. hut
n mas not increased more than II Should ha
= dane considering the increased iona,
. what has brought about the ncreas
:, tonnage Nothing hut the prosperity Of
"A country Merchants are Daylng more GOO
~ h.rausc the people are purchasing mo
:" MN men are producing more lumber.
cause the people are building more hous
>. ! Af,iis and factories are consuming IN,
- Tani hrcausc they lind u market for IN
- .oa,cts Every line ~ business has
y I,.aa.cd not only In volume hut In nfosi