The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-12
Shipper Gets Square DEAL
From the Road
ALL RELATING STOPPED
Testimony of First Vice President
MCRea of Penn. R. R.

Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania
are Considering Means for E1iminat-
ing the Private Car From the Lines
OF the Company-Rebating Stopped
When Cassatt Became President,
and the Community of Interest Plan
Started-Other Interesting Develop
ments During the Days Hearing.
Philadelphia, June New light was
shed today on the motives leading 10
the abolition of freight rebates by the
railroads when James McCrea, first
vic president of the Pennsylvania
company, which operates the Pennsy.-
vania railroad lines west Of PittsDurE
appeared as a witness before the III
terstate commerce commission. Mr.
McCrea expressed himself as favorable
to publicity in the rating of mines, and
the distribution of cars. He surprised
the commissioners and their coun>e!
by announcing that for nearly two
years, and up TO the time of President
Cassatts recent departure for Europe,
the board OF directors Of the Pennsyl-
wanna railroad, OF which he is a mem
per, had been considering means for
eliminating the private car from the
lines OF the company. He declared the
company had concluded that the use
or these cars was unWise.
Towards the conclusion of his testi-
mony Attorney Glasgow asked Mr..
McCrea when President Cassatt decid-
ed to stop rebating.
Just as soon as he got control OF
the Pennsylvania railroad; that was
in 1885," said Mr.. McCrea.
simultaneously the community Of
interest plan was adopted, was it
not?' was Mr.. Glasgow's next lues-
ton.
Mr.. McCrea said he was not certain
as to that. He then entered into Il
lengthy explanation of the rebate sys-
tenn and declared that the directors Of
other roads were pleased with the
idea Of abolishing it when the subjecl
was brought to their attention. He
said he thought it questionable if re-
batting would have been voluntarily
stopped by the railroads.
After replying to numerous Ques-
tons Mr.. McCrea admitted finally that
the rebating stopped when the com
munity of interest plan started. He
asserted that the shipper was never
SO fairly treated as now. He has sta
BILE rates and is placed in a fair posi-
ton which is competitors.
Mr.. McCrea also told the comission
that he had resigned from the investi-
eating committee appointed by the di-
rectOrs of the Pennsylvania following
the revelations of the commission, be-
cause he did not want to be in the po-
sition of investigating the lines under
his jurisdiction. He declared himself
opposed to officials or employees hold
ing any personal interests which might
clash with their official duties.
Mr.. McCrea gave the commission
some information which Mr.. Glasgow
had made several previous efforts to
secure. Mr.. McCrea stated in addi-
J. ton to being a director of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad and the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad he is also a member of
the executive board of the latter COM
pany.
Mr.. Glasgow asked him if he could
name the other members of the execu-
tive board. He said the board conf
prised Captain John P. Green, first
vice president of the Pennsylvania
railroad; Samuel Rea, third vice pres
ident of the Pennsylvania railroad;
John B. Thayer, fourth vice president
of the Pennsylvania railroad; Presi-
dem Oscar G.. Murray, of Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, and George F. Randolph,
first vice president of the Baltimore
| and Ohio. None Of the previous wit
nesses who had been asked as to the
personnel of the executive board, was
able to give the information.
Mr.. McCrea testified that he owned
some stock in the Westmoreland Coal
company, which he had inherited from
his father. He also had a small in
terest in the Mill Ward company, &C
quired in the same manner
Mr.. Cassatt was also interested in
that company was he not?" queried
Mr. Glasgow.
He had a small holding"
Does he still hold the stOck?"
NO, we all sold out last year"
The witness did not know how MIR
Cassatt acquired his stock.
II whom did you SELF"
Ito the people who owned the sur
rounding coal territory, among them
Robert K. Cassatt, Colonel Hut and
Mr.. Saxman."
There are other interesting deevlop.
ments during today's hearing, which
was protracted until 6 O'Clock to
night.
Joseph K. Aiken, who has beer
chief clerk IN the superintendent of
fee of the Monongahela division Of the
Pennsylvania railroad, revealed almos.
as startling evidence as that given by
Joseph P. Boyer, before the commits
sion yesterday. On a salary which h
said varied from $50 to $126 PEI
monfh, Aiken had purchased stock il
[ different coal companies amounting te
nearly STE. 600. He admitted hayln,