Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-16
PRIVATE CAR LINES
George B. Robbins Resumes
His Testimony.
TELLS OF CONTRACTS
HIS COMPANY NOT INTERESTED
IN PRODUCTS HAULED.
Denies Holding Stock in California
Fruit Packing Concerns-Rela-
tons to Commission Business.

tons to Commission Business.
George B. Robbins. president of the Ar
mour Car Lines and a director OF Armour
& Company, continued his testimony before
the Senate committee on interstate COM
| merce this morning. Mr.. Robbins was
closely questioned by Senators Elkns.
Kean Foraker and Dolliver, not only as
to the operations of the Armour car lines,
but also as to the relation existing be-
tween the Armour car lines and Armour &
Company and between these two concerns
and the various railroads.
Mr.. Robbins stated that there was moth
ing particularly private about the contracts
between the car line company and the rail-
roads. In cases where there were exclusive
contracts the railroad agreed to use moth
ing but the Armour cars for the particular
business for which they were rented-name-
ly, the fruit and berry business; for Its
part Of the contract the line COM
pany agreed to furnish all the cars neces-
sary to handle the business, and all the ice
used at the beginning and in transit, and
to be responsible for losses to the ship
pers where they failed to supply an ade-
quate number of cars or proper icing facll-
tiles They also agreed not to charge more
than a certain fixed rate, agreed upon be-
tween the company and the railroad our
ing the existence of the contract, although
they frequently reduced the rate while the
contract was in force.
No Interest in Products Hauled.
In reply to Senator Elkins Mr.. Robbins
stated that neither Armour & Co., nor the
Car Line Company had any interest what
ever In the products hauled in the fruit
cars, and that Armour & Co. did not get
any advantage whatever for the hauling OF
their beef and the packing-house products
through the exclusive contracts for the fruit
refrigerator car service.
Later Senator DolliVer took up TINS lded
and questioned Mr.. Robbins closely as to
charges published in various newspapers
and magazines that the Armour interests
owned and controlled a large NUMBER OF
fruit-packing houses in California.
+ Mr.. Robbins explained the only connec-
ton which Armour & Co. had ever had OF
this character under which they purchased
the refrigerator cars, ice houses and ffult-
packing industry of the Earl Fruit Com
pany, a California concern. turning the
fruit-packing interest over to another pur-
Armour G. Co., he explained, only because
the Earl company would not sell the varl-
Gus interests it controlled to separate pur-
chasers.
He stated that neither the car line nor
Armour & Co., nor individuals holding stock
in either of these concerns have interest in
California fruit-packing establishments,
which led Senator Dollver to remark,
formation in the public mind about this
matter, and in the newspapers and maya
zines"
WELL" replied Mr. Robbins, II have
made the same statement several times I'M
der oath and am willing to repeat it."
Armour and the Commission Business.
Senator Deliver then referred to the
% Z Of I'm
luth, in which he charged that Armour &
Co. were practically engaged in the COM
mission business and by reason of their
knowledge of the routing of the cars were
able to hold up the consignments of other
shippers and rush their own to market,
thus obtaining immense advantages over
their competitors.
Il wish to brand that statement as abso-
lrtely false" quietly responded Mr.. Rob-
bins.
Mr.. Robbins stated, in reply to questions
by Senator Elkins, that all the packing
houses had their own refrigerator cars and
when they needed extra cars often rented
from each other, paying the same rental
as private parties The Armour car lines
sold ice to Swift 6. Co., and occasionally
purchased Ice from the latter concern, the
price in each instance being the same as
charged to private parties. When the ship
ments of fruit were lost in railroad wrecks
or by reason of the negligence Of the rail-
read the latter paid the damages to the
shipper. But if the shipments We're dam
aged because of improper or insufficient re-
frigeration, orr were ruined because of
lack of cars then the private car line paid
the damages. He maintained that refrig-
orator car lines were not engaged in inter-
state commerce, as they did not transport
arything, and that they could not be
classed as common carriers merely because
they rented cars to railway companies.
Senator Foraker asked Mr.. Robbins If
any one else besides Mr.. Ferguson had
n1aipp6 of the OOara tiOn of the private
car companies. Mr.. Robbins replied that
a Mr. Mead. a commission merchant of
Boston, had made some complaint.
what did Mr. Mead complain off," asked
Senator Foraker.
ALMOST everything" replied Mr.. Rob-
bins. adding that Mr.. Mead had $1,0o0,O00
that he did not think his rates should be
taken establishing the market value of
refrigeration.
Michigan Fruit Industry.
Senator Foraker questioned Mr.. Robbins
very closely as to the Michigan fruit situa-
ton. and asked him concerning the organi-
cations which Ferguson represented.
Mr. Robbins said that they were mainly
grocers and butchers who did no business
with the private car companies, or COM
mission merchants handling fruit on con-
signment. and the complaints had not come
from the commission merchants
10y al arrangement with the Pere Mar
quette railroad, the Armour car lines had
been able to reduce. for the coming season,
the icing charge on Michigan fruit from
$40 to $31 so per car, from Michigan points
to Duluth, and from $50 to $45 per car on
shipments to Boston
Senator Foraker asked the witness about
the charge made by Mr.. Ferguson that
MI Watson in California had received
$4,000 a year in rebates.
Mr. Watson has distorted this, as he
has everything else" replied Mr.. Robbins.
The truth is that Mr.. Armour loaned Mr.,
Watson $4,000 on his personal notes as a
matter of friendship. Mr.. Watson went
into bankruptcy and the matter came out
Defends the Private Car Lines,
Mr.. George S. Robbins of Chicago. presi-
dent of the Armour Car Lines Company and
the first representative of private car lines
to be heard by the Senate interstate COM
merce committee, now investigating the
railroad rate and allied problems, was a