The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-21
JAMES j. HILL TEsTIFIEs.
Chief Witness for Defense in the
Antf-Merrer Case.

Anti-Merger Case.
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Oct. 20.-Special Ex-
aminer F. G. Ingersoll to-day in the Circuit
Court room continued the examination of
witnesses in the case of the United States
VS.. the Northern Securities Company the
first hearing having been adjourned from
New York to this city. Solicitor General
j. X. Richards and w. A. Day, attorney
for the Interstate-commerce Commission,
and j. NJ. Beck represented the govern
ment, while former Attorney General j. w.
Griggs. David Wilcox. of New York; George
b. Young, c. w. Bum and NJ. D. Grover of
st. Paul, appeared for the defense. The
New York hearing substantially completed
the governments presentation of it's case,
and the testimony given to-day was on be-
half of the defendants. the Northern Sc
Railway, the Great Northern Railway and
the principal officials of those companies.
j.. j. Hill, president of the Northern Sc
curities and Great Northern Railway COM
panies, was the first witness. His testi-
mony during the forenoon covered his of
ficial connection with the Great Northern
Railway and the previous companies Of
which 1t was the outgrowth. In answer to
questions Mr.. Hill said that on the west
end of his line the local supply of coal was
sufficient for business. but within the past
two years the difficulty of getting coal from
pennsylvania to Lake Erie was very great,
his company being unable to secure a suf-
hcient supply in 1900 for its own use at
either Lake Erie or Lake Superior ports.
Coal for domestic use was also unobtain-
able, the terminals being unable to handle
all the cars. The case was even worse this
year, less than half the proper supply being
now on hand for the season. 1t was even
worse in the case of coal for domestic use.
The situation is serious this year and will
constantly grow worse. He referred partic-
uiarly to bituminous coal and spoke of the
use of the Burlington line as a means Of
supplying Northwestern needs for fuel, its
connection with the soft coal fields. its low
grades and the consequent possibility of
large loads making lower rates possible
By the use of the Burlington for coal
business over that and the northern lines
I'm unbroken loads lower coal prices will
result. The Puget Sound coal fields would
furnish supply east of Spokane. The
British Columbia coal, an excellent quality,
Is nearly as far and cannot be
developments have taken the Goa. ship
ments north from st. Louis to northern
Minnesota, and the return load will be
rect connection with the Burlington makes
possible a lower and more certain rate on
this class Of business. They must take all
business possible to the coast or else il
would be necessary to raise the rate on the
east-bound lumber. A trunk line to Chi
cago, st. Louis and other centers makes
it possible to control the return shipments
and keep down the rates. The Burlington
connection gives greater uniformity In car
service and also makes possible the hand
ling of unbroken trainloads. All conditions
affecting the Great Northern naturally af-
feet the Northern Pacific especially so in
the matter of coal supply. Both roads
must handle business both ways in order
to compete with everything that floats and
to compete with the Suez canal route, but
they were doing ii successfully
Mr.. Hill brought out fully that the ex-
change of Great Northern stock for that of
the Northern Securities Company was the
individual act of the individual sharehold-
ers, and dwelt at length on his statement
that the whole purpose of the organization
of the Northern Securities Company was
for the protection of a great commerce
with the Orient which the Northern lines
had sought to develop in competition with
the transportation companies of the whole
world The circular of the Northern Se-
curities Company to shareholders Offering
to expand stock had heretofore been placed
in evidence, but to-day the attorneys,
through Mr.. Hill. brought IN a personal
circular letter sent by him to numerous
Great Northen shareholders, in answer to
inquiries, telling them that any action of
theirs in exchanging their stock must be
their own individual action and not be in
fiuenced by him. Mr.. Hill will be again on
the stand tomorrow morning and will be
followed by Colonel w. p. Clough, Fred
erick Weyerhauser and other defendants
or directors of the defendant companies