Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-18
BIG Ply FOR AGENTS
The Railroad Companies Find
a New Plan to Pay
Rebates.
information Brought Out in the
Hearings Before Commerce
Commission.
One Agent Got $4,000, Salary
and Commissions = What
Became OF II.

Chicago, June 1S.-The startling adj
mission was made at the interstate
commerce commission hearing here yes
terday by General Freight Agent w. NJ
Bushnell of the Chicago, Peoria and ST
Louis railroad that H. c. Ferguson, an
agent of the company, received in sal
airy and commissions last year $4,000
The inference, Of course lis that the
agent received that money as rebates
for shippers. The Chicago Peoria e. St
Louis is a small road running from Pc
cria to st. Louis and the president, gen.
eral freight agent, and general passen-
ger agent combined do not get nearly SO
much remuneration as that freight So
licitor received.
General Freight Agent Bushnell was
on the stand more than half the session
and Attorney Day of the commission
tried to obtain from the witness a con-
fession that the money received by Fer
guson was used to cut rates. Mr.. Bush
nell showed wonderful lack of knowl-
edge of the affairs of his company and
the most that Judge Day was able to
get out of him was that the $4,000 re-
ceived by Ferguson was for his work in
securing business.
Representatives of many roads were
in the room while Mr.. Bushnell was tes-
tifying and they listened with interest.
Most of the answers consisted of, 81
cannot say as to that Not that
know Of, Il must consult our books be-
fore L can reply"
Judge Day had occasion to quote
from the interstate commerce act sew
eral times. He read the section on per-
jury and reminded the witness that a
person can commit perjury by forget
fulness as we'll as by direct statements.
Mr. Bushnell, however. gave little in
formation in support of the complaint
fled with the commission that his road
had been cutting rates. His principal
admission in this line was that a con-
cession is being made to lumber ship
pers between Arkansas points and east
ern cities, so that the rate thru East
st. Louis may equalize that thru Cairo.
He said his road frequently had made a
cut of cent hundred pounds to meet
the lower rate and thus secure the bust
ness of the lumbermen.
He was asked how the claims OF the
agents are paid and it took many in
quiries before the answer was given
that the bills come direct to his office,
then go to the general manager. and
finally to the treasurer for payment.
The. commission finally directed him
to answer various questions in writing
and inclose sworn statements based on
the information from the books. Mr.
BuSnell promised to do this without de-
lay.
William Campbell, general freight
agent of the Chicago and Eastern Illi-
nois road. was another witness. He gave
direct and prompt answers to all the
commissions questions, however, and
said that no departure from the pub
lished tariff has been made by his road
since the injunction was placed on oth-
er roads recently by Judge Grosscup.
1--WE do not pay commissions to Sc
cure traffic" said NJ. Campbell. "-sst
our agents are on salary.
He was unable to vouch for no rate
cutting, however, in regard to coal traf-
fic, which forms about 60 per cent of
the total tonnage of the road II. H.
Rhode has charge of this branch of the
traffic department and he had gone
away on fishing trip.
The commissioners who heard the ev-
idence were: j. F. Yeomans. c. A.
Prouty. and Joseph Fifer. They will
leave this morning for Leadville, Col,
to hear the complaint of the Leadville
board of trade against the transconti-
mental railroads charging higher rates
to Leadville than Salt Lake, OgdeL and
Frisco.