The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-31
EXPOSURES IN NEW YEAR
Will Probe Railroads, Coal, Oil
and Lumber Business g
BY INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
FIRST IMPORTANT TRIAL WILL
BE THAT OF E. II. HARTMAN
JANUARY 4.
BY INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION

! WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.-All indi-
cations point that the year 1907 Is to
| be one of big exposures of trusts and
abuses of public condolences by quasi
public corporations.
AS the schedule is now arranged the
! interstate commerce commission will
start off at whirlwind pace immedi-
ately after the holidays, the limelight
first being thrown on the Hartman
nethna. ~ connection with the opera
ton and agreements between the rail-
roads in which he is interested, tol-
lowed in rapid succession by inquiries
into the methods of other allied rail-
roads, the relations of coal companies
In middle western states to railroads
and the operation of the so-called lum-
Der trust in the northwest and south
west.
That interesting disclosures will be
made in the report of the interstate
commerce commission bearing on the
relations Of certain railroads with the
coal and oil industries seems certain.
This report will detail the results at
tanned up to date in the inquiry made
by the commission in accordance with
the Tillman Gillespie resolution, which
passed congress last winter.
More Sensations Due.
The commission completed it's work
i,, fo11 ?, lin Qrf0 nf
the far west, in Tennessee and in Kan
lucky. Several important fields not
ably those of Indiana. Illinois, Ohio
and Wisconsin, have not been touched.
Operation will be begun in the Sc fields
some time in February, at dates that
will be fixed later.
During the progress Of the investi-
CATION, in the east it was brought out
that the Pennsylvania and other rail-
roads, or at least many of their promi-
coal companies that were doing bust
ness along the lines of the roads in
opposition to the so-called Independent
concerns.
The hearings held in the northwest
brought out in striking manner that
the Union Pacific, a link in the Harri
man system, had come into possession
of valuable coal tracts in Wyoming
through fraud practiced by railroad Of
ficials and Others The end of this case
is not yet. Steps are now being taken
by the secretary of the interior to bring
this land back into the possession of
the government. Revelations equally
as interesting are expected when the
commission begins doing business in
the middle west.
Hearing for Hartman.
At a conference of the commission
held yesterday operations that will be
started in the new year were considered
at length. The itinerary of the COM
mission for January was decided on,
but the conclusions will be withheld for
the present.
The first important case to be tried
will be that involving the Hartman
lines. The first public hearing in this
case will be held in New York on Jan.
t. F. H. Hartman and other promi-
nent men associated with him in the
management and conduct Of the Har-
riman concerns ares expected to appear
on the stand
Beginning in the middle of January
hearings will be started by the COM
mission on the Pacific coast These
will be in relation to the question of
ar shortage, alleged discrimination
against concerned companies and
against individual firms and corpora
lions.