Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-11-04
Robbins. PresL, and SprOuI:, Traf-
fc Manager Of Lines, Decline
To Reply to Questions
ACTED UNDER INSTRUCTIONS.
yo Action Taken Regarding Their De-
cIinauon Claimed Commission
Had No lurlsd cLon.

washington, Nov, 3-President Rob.
bl1s Of the Armour car lines and Traffic
Manager sproule Of the Southern Paci-
file company declined to answer ques-
lions put to them by The nters.a,e
commerce commission In the private
car line inquiry today, both acting un.
der instructions of their counsel
The examination Of Mr., ROBBINS was
intended to snow that the Armour car
lines. through Armour x Co., or other
Concerns controlled by the same con.
Germs is engaged In business other than
that of leasing cars 10 railroads AMI
rafrigeraung perishable shipments. Mr.,
sgr.ue was eXamlued rega, ding an al
I.ga4 pooling contract between the
Southern PaClhc ana the southern Call
form. railways When tng Information
Was announced that the hearings would
Doe adjourned ln4euuIteiy, no aClun
WAS taken regarding the destinations,
Mr. ROBBINS ndI testified tnat the Ar
rrour car line operates 1850 cars and
Atty. Barry was ABOUT TO arrange a
query as to the capital stock OF the
company. when Atty. Eicnmdu of he
Armour company interposed an objec-
lion tlat the Armour car line was not
ton that the Armour car Ines was not
ayprrau therefore, that the commission
had no jurisdiction.
Mr. ROBBINS alsJ testified In support
OF Mr. Eicnmans contention that the
Armour car lines are not engaged In the
transportation business, but solely In
the business Of leasing cars and fur
mshing refrigeration. lie asserted tudt
the respondent railroads have no part
IA hxIug the charges Of transportation.
Issue was taken by Atty. Barry with
The testimony Of the witness. Mr., Bar
IN said he could snow that the Armour
car lines are engaged In the fruit and
produce business.
Mr. Robbins. IN answer to a query
previously put said the company is not
No the fruit or produce business,
j. n, Call of Los Angeles who has
assisted Mr.. Barry and who also Is act.
Ing for California fruit interests, then
took charge Of the examination and UNI
der Instruction OF counsel Mr. Robbins
declined 70 answer number Of qucs'
tions Chairman Knapp announced
that the commission would confer aB
TO the character Of questions IL would
require the witness TO answer.
George W. Tells refrigerating man
gger of the California Frult-GroweIs'
exchange, testified briefly I'm relad don
to the details OF icing cars.
40 the afternoon session Mr. Rob-
bins was asked a number of questions
which under instructions from his att
torney he declined to answer The
commission ruled that ne must answer.
Nr Robbins then left the stand.
President Robbins resumed the stand
,his afternoon Mr. Barry asked as TO
the average cost Of reirigerating cars.
The witness, contrary TO the ruling Of
the chairman and under instruction
from counsel declined TO answer
Questions as TO the average daily
movement OF cars. the average life OF
cars and the basis on which the COM
r3uy assessed or fixed charges we're
not answered under similar circum-
stances Mr.. Robbins was asked 20
give lists Of Icing stations ana costs
on citrus fruits, the witness refusing
to answer on the ground the commits
sion had no Jurisdiction.
The book presented at the hearing at
Chicago as the Armour telegra phic
code book was taken up, and the chair
man read from 1t; "Launch--Better
arrange rebate there" asking the wit
other questions were not answered upon
advice OF counsel Then Mr. Robbins
was dismissed from the witness stand
william Sproule traffic manager Of
the Southern Pacific Railway company
testified IN relation TO It's contract by
which j. T. Ames supplied his ROAD
WITH refrigerator cars, Atty. Dunno
advised the witness to not answer any
question IN relation to any contract be-
tween the Southern Pacific and the
Southern California railways ON the
ground that the Investigation concerns
reir.gerhtor charges and not transport
iauon rates, The commission Instruct
ei Mr. Snroue TO answer. but he de-
c0ned. Commissioner Prouty declared
The contract 10 be "a pooling agree
W1t"
The witness refused to say whether
the contract Is stlll In operation,
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