New-York tribune., 1906-05-12
" RAILROAD MEN USED"
STANDARD OIL ACCUSED.
Iron Mountain AGENTS 4cted for 1t,
Witness Says.

W ttttcco DttGSs
Chicago May 1f.-Direct charges OF collusion
between the Standard oil Company and the
St Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad were made
at to-day's hearing before the Interstate Com
merce Commission in the investigation of the re-
lations between the Standard Oil Company and
common carriers.
H. j. Cohn, Of ST. Louis. for fifteen years con-
nected with the Standard, declared that the
agents Of the railroad acted agents Of the
oil company and received commission oil
they sold. He himself. acting an agent Of the
Standard, he said. had appointed agents az
various places on the Iron Mountain line. in
Missouri.
Attorneys for the Standard. in the cross-ex-
animation Of Haywood Mazon. an Illinois oil
dealer, formerly employed by the Standard,
showed that Maxon repeatedly wrote letters to
officers of the Standard, threatening trouble.
because he did not consider himself we'll treated
Maxon said he wrote the letters 'just for
amusement
Nearly every railroad running south. north
and west from Chicago was represented at the
hearing to-day. The examination of Maxon by
c. C. I.aforge for the Standard was begun at
once. After Maxon had admitted writing the
letters 70 the Standard. and had said that he
had about 1900 letters and documents belonging
TO the Standard OIL Company Of Kentucky Mr.
Laforge asked how he got them.
I'm the same way that for years got In
formation for the Standard Oil Company"
Maxon replied.
In to questions regarding passes
Maxon said that he had passes on nearly every
road in his territory and used them In travelling
on the companys business He obtained the
passes he said, from Holmes. the treasurer, and
other officials of the Standard OIL Company.
10 TOVV1o G,
San Francisco Railroad, followed Mr. Maxon.
He said that there are no pipe lines the right
OF way OF his company for any considerable
distance. and that the road had no contract TO
install pipe line. The Cudahy Refining Com
pany had made application to install pipe line
from the Kansas oil fields to ST. Louis, and that
the proposition was declined by the executive
committee OF the railroad. The witness said
that he does not believe that the Cudahy COM
pany is affiliated with the Standard OIL Com
pany.
do you know of any reason why the Cudahy
people should not be given the right to con-
struct a pipe line, and the Standard company
should be given such right?" asked Commits
sioner Prouty.
'I can think Of no reason" said President
Davidson.
The question OF furnishing oil 20 the Frisco
road was then taken up. and President David
son said that in the West the oil was furnished
by the Waters Pierce Oil Company and in the
East by the Galena OIL Company Both COM
panies are said 70 be affiliated with the Standard
Oil Company. Mr.. Monnet, who is aiding the
government said that under the contracts with
these companies the railroad pays so to 80 per
cent more than If the oil were purchased in the
open market, but that It was sold on a mileage
basis so that the records would not show the
exact amount paid.
H. o. Hukill purchasing agent OF the Penn
sylvania lines west Of Pittsburg. said that his
company purchased oil from the Galena OIL
Company, and had done so for ten years. be-
cause the CSalena company guaranteed a saving
Of 10 per cent. Both Mr.. HuNill and President
Davidson agreed to furnish the commission with
the records Of their companies in all matters re-
lating to the purchase Of oil.
J. F. Tucker, chairman OF the Central Freight
Traffic Association, was the next witness. About
sixty railroads are represented In this Organi-
zatlon. Mr.. Monnet endeavOred to learn some
thing from the witness regarding the fixing of
oil rates, but the witness said that he merely
expressed the consensus Of the opinion of the
railroads at the meetings OF the association.
You get the consensus of opinion Of the roads
on a rate TO be fixed. issue an information cir
cular, the rate is put out, and then you forget
all about it, That's about the way, isn't it,?
asked Commissioner Prouty.
well, not exactly replied Mr.. Tucker.
During the testimony OF Secretary II. /. Hibbs,
Of Peoria, ILL.,. Mr.. Miller, representing the
Standard objected 70 the evidence. saying that
Il had no bearing on the relations of the COM
pany with the railroads. and that It was simply
q lOt OF muck ralIing
well" replied Commissioner Clements, "if
the Standard OIL Company IS in the muck, l see
no reason why a rake should not be used"