The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-03-02
STATE RAILROAD
HEARING ENDED
Last Public Session of Coal
Shortage Committee Held
Yesterday.
LITTLE WAS ACCOMPLISHED
TILT BETWEEN CHAIRMAN ROB-
INsoN AND SEN. LAWRENCE.

The last of the public hearings Of the
legislative committee. which has been i'll
vestigating the coal shortage and alleged
railroad Determinations. was held yes
terday morning, Speaker Harry Joseph OF
the house of representatives and l.. ii.
Curtis of the Independent Fuel company
OF Helper being the only witnesses.
Tine, committee has examined fifteen
witnesses in all and has received no in
formation of value from any of them.
In fact no one thoroughly familiar with
railroad conditions has been put on the
stand, and most of the witnesses tes-
experience or from heresay. The list Of
witnesses is follows: John X.
Brougham Robert Marsh, Richard p.
Morris William y. Sprague. II. A Smith
Isaac Barton, John T. Dooly. Conner
Thomas. II. G.. Williams. Charles o. Har-
rs. William S. Mccarthy. Colonel f. A
Wall Harry S. Joseph, Charles n. Grif-
fin and L. II. Curtis.
To Prepare Report.
The committee will meet Monday to
prepare a report Ii is understood that
a majority and minority report will be
submitted. the one advocating maxi
mum rate law and the other simply a
few changes in the existing statutes.
Chairman Robinson is said to lead the
minority and Senator George n. Law
renee the majority That the legislature
will pass any railroad measure. however,
seems extremely doubtful and il is likely
that the work and expense involved in
the investigation will have been in vain.
The feature of yesterdays session was
a dispute between Chairman Robinson
has been doing the questioning OF Wit
nesses. L. II. Curtis Of the Independents
Fuel company was on the stand. and his
testimony has been favorable to the rail-
roads in a marked degree.
4 am through with the witness. per-
haps the chairman would like to ask him
some question: said Mr.. Lawrence.
Chairman Robinson remained silent and
Mr.. Lawrence then declared in rather
sarcastic way:
We'll. ] did not call this witness. and
understood that the chairman wanted him
here"
1T was at the suggestion OF some of
the members of the committee that Mr..
Curtis was called" explained the chair
man, but he had a hard time cOncealing
his embarrassment.
After the session Senator Lawrence
stated that he had a note from MIR. Rob-
/ inson asking him to have Curtis sub
pOenaed.
Speaker Tells of Pool.
The first witness was Harry Joseph.
/ speaker of the house. He told about
I the alleged railroad pool in the Tintic
district and spoke as the secretary of the
{ ililttC 21if4t Ol1tIdtoIS dSSptldllou ne
/ said that the haul from Tintic to Salt
/ Lake is eighty-five miles. yet the charge
] is the same from Nevada points. 100 miles
away.
! He declared that the rate from TintiC
! on supplies is too high and that the
/ rates have remained the same for the
past six years with the exception of q
few minor reductions.
! Have the rates charged by the two
/ roads entering the district always been
| the same" Senator Lawrence asked.
Treated All Alike.
Always the same unless one shipper
| received a cheaper rate than another
| have heard this intimated to be the
/ case. but never knew it to be proved
believe they have treated US all alike.
l. II. Curtis of the Independent Fuel
/ company of Helper. seemed decidedly
| friendly TO the railroads. As his company
\ has not commenced to ship ore. his tes-
\ timony was of little Importance
/ THE railroads have always shown 3
! friendly attitude towards our company
and what little coal we have shipped has
been hauled by wagon to Price. and tbs
rate from there TO Salt Lake is 81 a ton
| We are now negotiating for side track
TO Helper. and this has been promised