The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-01
CAN'T STOP 1T.
General Manager of Santa Fe
Refrigerator Dispatch
Testifies Before the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
HAS PAID REBATES
And Finds It Impossible to
Break Up the Practice.
Justifies the Custom and Also
Refrigeration Charges.
TEN DOLLARS A CAR.
On Fruit Shipped From Cali
fOrnia to Chicago.
Twenty Dollars When Shipment
Is Made to Atlantic Coast.
Justifies the Custom and Also
Refrigeration Charges.
TEN DOLLARS A CAR.
On Fruit Shipped From Cali
fOrnia to Chicago.
Twenty Dollars When Shipment
Is Made to Atlantic Coast.

Washington, Nov. An inquiry into
the operation Of private refrigerator
cars on transcontinentaI railways was
begun today by the interstate commerce
commission. The cases in which the
hearing are being held are directed by
the commission against the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fe and the Southern
Pacific railways and the Armour car
lines, Santa Fe Refrigerator Dispatch
and the American Refrigerator Transit
company. These cases were segregated
from the numerous cases against south
eastern railways on which hearings
were held recently.
The principal witness today was j. S.
Leeds, general manager of the Santa Fe
Refrigerator Dispatch who gave start
ling testimony concerning rebates and
declared his inability to break up the
practice. He said his company operates
4, $50 cars and obtains additional equip
ment by interchanging with the Ameri-
can Refrigerator Transit company and
the Michigan Central railway. The cars
operated by the Santa Fe Refrigerator
Dispatch, said Mr.. Leeds, are owned by
the Santa Fe railway and are leased
by the dispatch line.
witness regarding the cost of refrigera-
tfon in the California fruit service and
Mr.. Leeds said q charge for refrigera-
ton is justifiable for the reason that
the receipts from mileage are insuffl-
cient to pay earnings on the expensively
constructed cars
Figures the Cost.
Mr.. Leeds figured the cost of main
tenanee. of cars at 21 cents day and
the earnings for IS miles at = OF q
cents a mile, making the annual earn
ings SAP, maintenance SIS and net
earnings $67 a year. The cars cost
about S1,1O0 each.
In response to questions by Com
missionerS Clements and Prouty, MI.
Leeds admitted that he has paid re-
bates to shippers Of deciduous Irulls,
but insisted that there had been no
discrimination in favor OF any one or
more shippers. He justified the pay
ment of rebates by saying that ne
found this to be practice lnqulgeo IN IN
by his competitors The rebates, ne
said, amounted to SO car 20 Ch1-
cago. $15 to Buffalo and P1trsburg ana
$40 to the Atlantic coast
A protest was made by attorneys Tor
the Armour car lines and the Southern
Pacific railway against the loose
manner of examining the witness.
Commissioner Clements called at
tentiOn to testimony given py MI.
Leeds in a hearing at Chicago year
ago and asked Mr.. Leeds to tell the
Commission again of these prac-
tees" The attorneys said that II
Mr. Leeds had evidence OF concrete
cases where rebates had been given
it would be all right for him to tell of
these cases.
Mr.. Leeds then told of what his com
pany had done and said that individ-
ually he was powerless to break up the
ssWhy can't you break it up?" asked
Commissioner Prouty.
Because it would precipttate war
that might bring the charges below
cost of refrigeration, said Mr.. Leeds.
J. II. Call of Los Angeles, Cal, spe-
cfaI counsel for the commission, asked
Mr.. Leeds if it were not a fact that the
Santa Fe Refrigerator Dispatch Is a
part of the Santa Fe railway organ
lied as a matter of convenience.
ssAIatter of Necessity
Mr.. Leeds suggested that the organ
ization was a matter of necessity, but
he declined to commit himself as to
the detailed relations between the two
corporations.
Replying to questions by p. F.
Dunno, counsel for the Southern Pa
cific, Mr.. Leeds said it would be inn
practicable for a great railway system,
having connections forking out beyond
ak--. arrs4nr