The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-11-10
MUST BE HEARD BEFORE
 THE WHOLE COMMISSION
CHARGE OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CONSOLIDATED OF
 SUCH IMPORTANCE.

AnOuneement Made by Interstate Com
 meree Commissioner PrOuty at Hear
 ing in Cleveland Yesterday-General
 Freight Agent HOIbrOok and E. G.
 Auckland, General Attorney for the
 Road, Testify-wiIIiam Rockefeller
 Holds Less Than One Per Cent of
 StOck-Standard oil Interests Not i'm
 Control.
 Cleveland, Nov. 9.-F. S. Holbrook, general freight agent of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, ap- peared before the interstate commerce commission in this city to-day and gave testimony to offset the complaint made by the Fred S. Clark company of Cleve- land and the WaYerly Oil company of Pittsburg that the road was discrimin- ating in, freight rates in favor of the Standard oil company in New England territory. MT. Holbrook was on the stand nearly all of the forenoon and was subjected to a close examination. He testified, in general way, that the New Haven road had never put any obstacle in the way of any company in transporting oil and that inforna- ton concerning rates was always read fly furnished to the complaining com panies. He denied that there was any discrimination whatever in favor of the Standard oil company and said that there was no ground for any com plaint. It was brought out that in conversation with Joseph Russell Mar ble of Worcester, Mass, who testified against the road yesterday that MT. Marble had asked Holbrook to admit that the roads attitude had made a monopoly for the Standard Oil company in New England. MT. Holbrook had re- fused to answer MT. Marbles question and when questioned to-day said he did not answer because. of the way the question was put to him. ...:
 w, T. Marshall of the Sun company, an oil concern of Philadelphia, testified that he had done business with the rail- road and that he had never discovered that he was discriminated against.
 At the conclusion of the local hear ing of complaints against the New York New Haven and Hartford rail- road for refusing to pro rate on petro- leum and its products Interstate Com merce Commissioner c. A. Prouty said that the case is of such importance that 1t will have to be heard before the whole commission at Washington dur. ing the last ten days of this month, the exact date to be announced later.
 Continuing his testimony at the af- ternoon session General Freight Agent Holbrook said in reply to- Commissioner Prouty's question as to why the, New York, New Haven and Hartford conn pany continued in effect sixth class, the lowest basis, on barrel shipments: ''In. this we aim to- do two things at the same time, we protect the manufac- turers and buyers of oil as much as we can at the same time taking no undue risks. We do not want to eliminate competition. The reduction from 9th to 9th class was made to satisfy a com- plainant and has since remained in ef- feet" ' :.
 Commissioner Prouty asked that the New York, New Haven and Hartford road produce, unless theF task is too cumbersome, data showing how many sub-stations the Standard Oil company has along it's lines; also how many sub- stations other oil companie have there.
 E. G. Buckland, general attorney for the road, stated that he wished to have It definitely understood that William Rockefeller holds less than i per cent. of the stock of the company and that he is one of twenty-one directors; also that absolutely no Standard oil inter- est controls the New Haven road.