Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-06-29
Freight SCANDAL
IS UNEARTHED
GRATING SCHEME is BROUGHT
TO LIGHT ON SOUTHERN
PACIFIC

tation department OF the southern
Pacific, which has occupied the at
tention of the highest officials Of the
system since the first discovery Of
the plot two weeks ago
For the last year merchants re-
ceiving freight in carload lots in San
Francisco have suffered from the
congestion of freight trafic on the
Hartman lines. One Of the greatest
difficulties was in the holding Of
cars In the extensive freight yards
in Sparks, New. Frequently the Off
cials Of the road found themselves
unable to expedite the movement Of
cars detained 1t Sparks, and ship
pers suffered without relief until the
word was quietly passed out to see
Manuals"
Shipping clerks in the large whole
sale grocery house told their firms
that while repeated complaints made
to the railroad officials had been
without result they had learned that
something could be done by seeing
ROY Mauvais of the Mauvais Auto
company, who had acquired a repu-
tation Of being able to get a car out
of the yards in Sparks and Tito San
Francisco when the traffic depart
ment of the Southern Pacific COM
pany could do nothing.
In their desperation one after an
other of the larger shippers in the
city looked up Mauvais to test his
reputed ability in the matter OF the
movement of expedited freight. To
their applications he answered with
businesslike terseness, noting down
the number of the car which hao
been held up and assuring them that
sit would be delivered in the cit
in twenty-four hours" The trans
action with Mauvais was complete
with the payment of a fee of $50
car.
To their surprise the merchant
found hat Manuals prediction cam
true. The car arrived following tn
payment of the $50. The chang
was startling. For months they ha
besieged the offices of the compan
begging that their freight, whic
was detained on the way, should b
looked up and hustled along The
had fretted and fumed. They ha
REINFORCED the complaints wit
strong language, but time and agai
it took the highest officials OF tn
company weeks to find their car
Mauvais did it in a day.
The business of the expedite
freight company limited grew. MAJ
yais retained an assistant, w. B. La
max. to whom he referred as IN
secretary, and who acted as assis
ant nag of Southern Pacific e
pedited freight.
Complaints at the general ofic'
at the Flood building grew less, al
the officials of the company co
graduated themselves that the co
gested conditions of the freight Sc
vice were being overcome. Tn
were. Mauvais had found a way.
Then came the discovery. II
weeks ago one of the shippers W
had been importuned for a fee
$50 a car for expedition charges
sented the graft. and G.. T. Richai
son learned for the first time OF
valuable assistance which had be
rendered to the Southern Paci
freight transportation without
knowledge. Several detectives W.
nut on the trail and for two wet
they have been working on the ca
The developments we're startli
Wires to the East were kept
with messages to julius Kruttschn
the director Of the maintenance &
operation departments of the Il
riman lines, and j. G. Stubbs took
interest in what was going on.
But in spite of the fact that
sleuths have been at work so lc
the Sparks end of the plot Is ye'
be revealed, and Mauvais is stH
ing business in expedited freight
G. f. Richardson, superintene
Of transportation, said: We
fully informed as to the operat
of the ring. The first mixing
shippers were paying some agent
a a to get their freight me
from Sparks to this city reached
about two weeks ago. Detec'
were Immediately put 70 worn
fathom the mysterious working
the ring and determine what me
division terminals were engaged
the holdup of the shippers, Inc
tectives are still hard at work on
case"
Merchant and Bookkeeper-