Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-30
TAKING OF TESTIMONY.
Chief Clerk at Sunnysidc Was the First
Witness Examined.

Witness Examined.
Charles Livingston was the first Wit
ness sworn this morning. He stated
that he was chief clerk at Sunnyslde
for the Utah Fuel company for 81
months. Among his duties We're the
checking OF expense bills and freight
rates. Shipments on ''in freights" 10
Sunnysidc prior 10 Aug. | OF this year,
when there was a change. Prior to that
time there was a rate of half a cent
per mile on all freight consigned to the
Utah Fuel company at Sunnyside nom
Utah points. Witness stated that this
rate was considerably less than that III
effect for outside consignecs This
secret rate" as Counsel Thomas for
the government put II. was the same
from any point IN Utah regardless OF
distance from Sunnyside.
Witness stated that this rate was M
creased on Aug !, 1906. as were the
rates from Colorado points. Where the
Utah Fuel company paid from 500 I'D
$50 a car from Idaho points after Aug
| IL paid. under the new rate, approx
imately $3.50 and $500 car, About inc
same changes were made In regard 10
shipments Of rails and fire BRICK trohi
Pueblo to Sunnyside.
Regarding the lumber shipped from
Oregon for the rebuilding of the trestle
at Sunnyside following the big hro
witness stated that 1t was billed TO
Ogden where II was rebilled to sunny
side under the half cent secret rate.
Regarding shipments to the Wasatch
Store company reputed TO be the store
operated by the Utah Fuel Co, Wit
ness could not give any definite ill.,
formation.
Witness said that this secret rate
tariff sheet was signed by an official OF
the Rio Grande Westerns he could not
give his name.
into Cant. Coltons office instead of
cash. Who paid them eventually he
did not know.
AUDITOR WILLIAMS.
w O. Williams of salt Lake and
auditor OF the Utah Fuel company,
was then called. lie detailed the ON
GERS OF the Utah Fuel company. He
stated that capt. Cotton was not the
treasurer OF the Utah Fuel company.
He did not know where capt cotton
was az this time and had not seen MN
for five or six weeks. In answer 10
questions. witness stated the Utah FUEL
company was capitalized for Slo'Voo'VoV'
He did not know VINO owned TINS stoch'
Atty. Allison for the company prompt
" volunteered the Information that the
stock OF the company was owned py
the Denver & Rio Grande interests,
Witness. on resumng, stated that the
handed Indebtedness of the Utah Fuel
company was sl,2O0000 approximately.
He said that he had made no pay
ments during the year he had been IN
Office for the acquisition of coal lands.
He admitted that agricultural lands hau
been acquired, The lands of the Utah
Fuel company, he said, had been mort
gagged. He did not know that these
lands had been mOrtgaged for s4Vo an
acre. He further stated that he dld not
know Nlo could give this Information.
SUBJECT OF RATES.
Coming down to the subject of rates,
he said the Utah Fuel company pald
the same rate as did any other con-
signee. There had been concession
of this rate prior ITO several moiihs
ago" said witness, on all construction
material This rate, ne SAID WAS
eight -tenths OF u cent per lQo POUNDS
per mile on this material. Rails, priok
and lumber came under this heading'
The question on the rate on coke
company precipltated an argument be-
tween the attorneys for the government
and counsel for the oregon short Line,
who avered that the Short Line and
rho Union Pacific were separate ana
distinct corporations. Witness said that
tho published rate on coke to Anaconda
was 81 per 100 pounds, and as far as
ne knew there had been on change
during the past year. The consignee,
he sale. paid the freight, The prices
OF the coke was billed as an advance
charge ON California consignments'
In other words the railroad COM
many advances the price of the coke
and collects at the other end on inter-
SKATE business.
DESTROYED VOUCHERS,
Witness stated he knew nothing re-
eardlng the transportation OF Utan
Fuel company. Personally he carried
complimentary pass over the no
Grande railroad. About 80 employees
OF the Utah Fuel company were located
I'm Salt Lake. Whenever they were
sent to the mines. witness said, they
were given pass over the road.
I'm answer to questions on the part
of Atty. Marchand witness stated that
he had no information that certain
vouchers were destroyed during the
past few months He did not know that
certain books Of the Utah Fuel COM
pany had been shipped TO New York,
After considerable questioning wit
ness stated that no vouchers had been
destroyed by,his authority and he knew
OF none being destroyed.
witness admitted that the Wasatch
Store company was a subsidiary COM
pany OF the Utah Fuel company. He
Is auditor for both corporations
The stock OF the Utah Fuel company
he said. had paid no dividends, but the
bonds paid per cent.
Mr.. williams stated that he had taken
up coal lands west of Clear Creek but
did not complete the title. In 1903 he
took up $50 acres of grazing land In
the same region. This II now owned
by the Pleasant Valley company. He
did this at his own instance. He re-
ceived no compensation for taking up
either parcel of land.
RECORDS ASKED FOR.
/ Here Mr.. Thomas took a hand In ex-
aiming witness. He asked that Wit
ness furnish the commission with the