The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-27
MAMMALIAN DEMANDS
DRASTIC MEASURES
SHIPPERS ATTORNEY WOULD
SEE RAILROAD BOOKS.
Railroad Commission Is Asked to Strike
Out All Great Northern Testimony
In Case Company Will Not Show It's
Records-Rallroad's General Counsel
Explains His Position. ~ ,.-.o, .&.s

That the BGreat Northern roalroad
company shall be made to open books
bearing on testimony submitted in the
rate hearings before the state railroad
and warehouse commission, or else that
all such evidence be stricken from the
led with the. commission today by
Mionesota Shippers association, Hast
ings shippers, and George T. LOTUS.
Mr.. Manahan's request recites that
he and the examiner for the state COM
mission visited the Great Northern Of
fees, but were denied general access
to the books. He says:
"lnasmuch as the annual reports of
the company were in evidence, and it
was claimed by the company it could
not stand the reduction proposed, we in
sisted on examining the income &C
count, profit and loss account, earn
ings and disbursements accounts, and
the accounts Of the subsidiary compa
MES, built and operated by the Great
Northern company, but were refused
Traffic Is Diverted.
eve were Informed that during a
large part of the time covered by the
that otherwise would have been local
to the state of Minnesota was diverted
by means Of rebates and special in
ducements to interstate traffic. and we
insisted on examining all the books
that would show the extent of this
diversion for the purpose Of discridit-
ing the testimonff offered to show that
business local to the state was declin-
ing and could not stand reduction in
rates, but We were denied.
eve found that it would be impos-
sible to verify the testimony submitted
without access to all the books, and this
was refused.
William R. Begg, general counsel Of
the Great Northern, today filed letter
with the ~railorad commission giving
his reasons for refusing to let Mr.. Man
ahan examine all the account Of the
Great Northern.
Company's Reasons.
Mr.. Begg said he has advised Mr.
Darlington. second vice president Of the
road as follows:
II advise that Mr.. ,Manahan and the
agent of the commission be permitted
to examine the papers, books and
vouchers from which you compiled You1
exhibits and those which you used III
compiling statistics presented in YOU
testimony.
"This proceeding is in the nature Of
a cross-examination;s the commission
has a right to examine to see that the
date from which you prepared your fig
ures and exhibits bear out the figures
you presented. ~,u r~
What Board May See. a.
''I do not find that the annual re.
ports of this company were produced
in evidence as part Of your testimony
Mr.. Manahan should not be
permitted to make an examination of
all the books for the purpose of de-
termining the correctness of all the
matters referred to in the annual re-
ports. The only matters Pertinent are
the fgre szn as gross earnings and 0p
II think if Mr.. .Manahan is permit
ted to examine the data upon which
are based those figures relating to gros
earnings and operating expenses o.
business local to Minnesota from 1885,
to the present time, such will be amply
| sufficient for his purpose. He is als'
/ entitle dto examine records to SHOW
| the volume of business local to Mime
sofa, also ton mileage Of interstate
| business handled thru Minnesota dur
ing the same period.'''