The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-08-15
Representatives of Largest
Roads In the Country As
semble to Consider.
WILL NOT ATTEMPT
TO EVADE THE LAW
Proceedings of the Session
Will Not Be Made Known
to the Public.

ATLANTIC CITY, n. j., Aug. IA
More than sixty lawyers, representing
all the larger railroads east of the
Mississippi river. particularly those
traversing the territory south of the
Ohio river and the New England
States, assembled hero today to make
detaile study of the provisions Of
! the railroad rate bill, which will go
into effect on Wednesday, August 90,
Tho members consist of the, chief
counSels, general solicitors and other
members of the legal departments of
the railroad corporations.
Former Judge Edward Baxter Of
Nashville, Tenn. special counsel to sew,
eral of the leading Southern railroad
companies. the presiding officer, said:
''This meeting of attorneys was
called by the executive and tariff of
ficers of the railroads east of the
Mississippi river and south of the
Ohio river. Counsel of all the Eeastern
trunk lines were also invited TO par
ticipate in the meeting, although VIC
afterward learned that the Pennsylva-
mia, the Baltimore g. Ohio and the
New York Central ronds, with some
other companies, were holding meet
ing of their own.
n series OF printed questions, ASKING
opinions as to the meaning OF various
provisions OF the interstate commerce
act, as amended on June 90 last, were
presented TO us for answer. | answered
them, and my answers nre being taken
up one by one for discussion. Already
some OF them have been approved, some
rejected. and others laid over for fur
ther consideration They involve many
important subjects and cannot be dis
CnSSa6 In dave
Not to Evade Law.
I'VE have not met here TO find the way
to evade or avoid the new law We are
here solely to consult among ourselves
and decide just what our clients will be
compelled 20 do in order to carry out
the provisions of the new measure. The
questions are not secret. but they are
lengthy, We would not object TO making
them public il the daily press would give
the space TO print them In full, together
with their answers. There are questions
which. IL printed alone with their an
swers, would be misunderstood by the
public. so il has been decided to keep
the questions to ourselves. II cannot
be made 100 emphatic, however. that We
ore here on a peaceful mission and we
do not expect to even communicate with
the Interstate Commerce commission
a large corps of stenographers is pres
ent to take in detail the arguments over
the many points of difference among
the legal representatives A guard is
stationed at the entrance TO the commit
tee-room and strangers are not permitted
10 get within earshot.
Among those present at the conference
are J. M. Culp, third vice-presiednt; H.
B, Spencer. general manager: r. Geen.
freight traffic manager: S. II. Hardwick
passenger traffic manager; Alfred p
Thorn, general counsel, all of Washing
ton; Alexander p. Humphrey, general
counsel, Louisville; Hamilton Nc
Whorler, assistant general counsel,
Athens, Ga, representing the Southern
Railway: z. l. Russell, general counsel
Mobile & Ohio railroad, Mobile, Ala;
John l. Hall. general counsel Georgia
Southern e Florida railroad. Macon, Ga,
Edward Colston, general counsel Queen
G. Crescent road. Cincinnati: H l..
Stone, general counsel Louisville &
Nashville road Louisville; W. G, Elliott.
general counsel Atlantic Coast Line; J..
A. Watts. general counsel Seaboard Air
Line: Charles i. Hamlip. Boston G.
Maine railroad. and others.