Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-13
NEW FIGHT ON OLD ISSUE
Union Pacific and Great Western Prepare
for Elevation Fee Hearing.
MANY OMAHA MEN ARE sUspoESAED
Hartman OmciaIs Contend that
Their Defeat would Entail Hard
ship Upon the Grain In
terests in Omaha.

Union Pacific officials are preparing for
the hearing before the Interstate Commerce
commission of the elevation cases in Chi
cago September II, when President Stick
ney Of the Chicago Great Western will at
tempt TO have the payment OF III cents per
hundred by the Union Pacific declared
rebate and illegal.
This is the old case which has been
threshed out in the courts and declared in
favor OF the Union Pacific, but has now
been reopened on charges filed by Mr..
Stckney. The Union Pacific for years has
paid IA cents per hundred to have the grain
put in elevators in Omaha and Council
Bluffs and takes the ground that Il is a
necessity on its part to insure quick un-
loading OF its cars and the speedy return
of the empties which are needed for other
loads
Years ago the Union Pacific entered into
contract with the Omaha Elevator com
pany by which the railroad agreed to pay
that company for the service. Later a
similar contract was made with the Trans
mississippi Grain company. The fight was
made against these contracts on the ground
that they were exclusive in their nature
The Union Pacific, Nseeking to strengthen
its position, has published an open schedule
by which 1t agrees to pay to any elevator
company performing the service IL cents.
This does away with the exclusive feature
of the deal, making the rate open and by
this move the Union Pacific, although II
had won under the old contract. hopes to
defeat the plan OF Mr.. Stickney to stop the
payment of elevation at this point.
Stin War waged.
Ger siderable of a war was waged on this
question last spring, with the result that
all of the roads except the Union Pa
cifc have stopped the payment OF elevation
charges. The Burlington took a hand in
the fight and cut under the Union Pacific
rate. but finally backed up and left the
shippers on the Union Pacific with the ad-
vantage of the elevation charges at the
Missouri river.
Union Pacific officials claim It would be
the worst blow ever given the Omaha
Grain exchange to have the law declared
illegal, while President Stickney takes the
| opposite view of the matter.
The Union Pacific will be represented be-
| fore the commission by J. N. Bald win,
| general solicitor for the road, and by ]. A.
| Munroe, freight trafic manager.
Subpoenas to appear as witnesses at the
! reopening of the Peavey contract case
before the Interstate Commerce commits
T, sion at Chicago on September II, have
been received by a number of Omaha
railroad of1cials and grain men. Others
| expect to be summoned Among those
who are to go are Charles j. Lane and
]. A. Munroe of the Union Pacific. C. z.
Spens of the Burlington. N. B. Updike.
John Kuhn, w. J. C. Kenyon. Nathan
Merriam. F. S. Cowgirl, f. p. Peck. Sec
rotary f. j. Mcyann of the Omaha Grain
exchange.
| The grain men, of course, are to fight
against the breaking OF the Union Pacific
Peavey contract, but they will have ar
| rayed against them President Stickney of
the Great Western and the Burlington
and Santa Fe.