The daily sentinel., 1906-12-08
GO AFTER
THE ROADS
ACTION is TAKEN
By Chamber of Commerce
TO Bring Excessive Freight
Rates to the Attention of
the Interstate Commerce
Commission.

The special meeting Of the mem
bers Of the Chamber of Commerce.
called for last night at the court
house, brought out a most represen-
tattve body of citizens to partici-
pate in the special matters to be
brought before that body. A major
ity OF the members were not appris-
ed of the special business to be sub
mitted to their consideration. but all
anticipated that it would refer to the
matter of freight rates for this city.
When the meeting was called to
order by President Carnahan, he ct
once began a statement of the rea-
sons for calling the special meeting.
which was that the railroad commit
tee of the board of directors, after
considerable work upon the matter OF
freight rates for this city. was ready
to make detailed report TO the mem
bers of the chamber and let the mem
bership decide what action they de
sired to take in the matter, after
hearing the report. In order to re-
inforce his statement President Car
nahan read all the correspondence
that had passed between the Cham
! ber of Commerce directorate and
the special railroad committee and
the traffic departments of the two
railroads that run into this city-the
Denver and Rio Grande and the Colo
rado Midland roads.
The first letter to be sent to the
heads of the freight departments of
those two roads bore date of Septem-
ber 22d. That letter embodied among
other things the direct question whe-'
ther the roads referred to would con-
! a
points to this city, which when so re-
billed would pay the local tariffs Of
those roads in the state of Colorado,
instead of participating in the
through tariff rates.
The heads of the departments ans
wered this letter, but failed to ans
wer the direct question which had
been asked them by the railroad COM
mittee. Other corresl lndence then
lenspe' and the mattc.arJ far ~ A. S
| Hughes, traffic manager of the Rio
Grande was concerned, seemed to be
shifted to the Colorado Midland. But
the correspondence was still directed
to the Rio Grande. as it originally was
and at last Mr.. Hughes said the mat
ter would be turned over to Mr.. Fred
| Wild, of that department, who would
answer. but Mr.. Wild did not ans
wer. Finally a letter was received
| from both roads which stated that
they would continue to rebill goods.
as they believed that they had n per-
feet right so to do.
In detailing the matter of the ef-
| fort to secure the cooperation of the
| Chamber of Commerce of this city,
| by the Manufacturers association of
| Denver in a suit Jointly against the
railroads before the Interstate Com
/ FN1a M fgG OF ut fa1 hxr
| President Carnahan that he had been
told that the attorneys for that as
| iociaton had made the statement
that if they were paid the sum of SIS,
| 90 which II was declared by the as
| sociation in Denver, had been contrib
uted by the Chamber of Commerce
of Grand Junction that, they would
drop the suit against the railroads
President Carnahan said that he
knew Of no money that had ever been
paid the Manufacturers association
of Denver and that such a statement
by the attorneys, looked as If there
was "Colored man in the woodplle"
in other words that the pretended
suit of the Manufacturers association
seemed to be a friendly suit, the pur-
pose of which was to forestall action
by any other commercial body of the
state
After the matter was presented
most fully and lucidly by President
/ Carnahan then other members of
the chamber present discussed the
matter at considerable length Man
ager Moore. of the Grand Junction
Fruit Growers association gave the
members present to understand that
his association had not been receiving
any rates out of here for the past two
years, and so far as he was concern
! ed, speaking for the association they
were ready to join in any suit to de
termine the matter. This was pleas
ing news to the Chamber of Com
merce directorate, as they at no time
desired 10 jeopardize the success Or
J the interests of the association and
of the growers in this city and county.
Other speakers were p. A. Rice, w.
8 A. Marsh, II. T. DeLong, l. n. Bunt-
4 ing. George Smith. George A. Currle,
A. r. Sampliner. Alex. Seegmiller, j.
NJ. Sampliner. A. Schieswohl, G. ].
Carpenter, G. NJ. Chamberlin, Henry
r. Rhone and many others.
To bring the matter before the
d meeting Judge William A. Marsh of
f fered the following resolution. /;
S was seconded by j. NJ. Sampliner
That the board of directors of the
Chamber of Commerce, be authoriz
ed to employ counsel and institute
suits before the Interstate Commerce
commission, against the Denver and
Rio Grande. Colorado Midland. Colo
RADIO and Southern railroads. for the
purpose of securing the rates which II
|, Is believed this city is entitled to anC
which We believe that the Interstate
Commerce law contemplates that W,
e should receive. The suit to begin
l. so soon as funds are raised to cove
e such expense. The vote on this mo
10 tiOn was unanimous.
d A motion prevailed that the regu
e lar annual meeting of the Chambe
IS of Commerce. be set for the secon,
r Tuesday in January that the by
f. laws be so amended as to comprehen,
1f this change to date.
( Mayor Bunting also presented
..,nLIc,, ...hich LrnuaIlad That n /. III.