Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-06
Government May Bring Action
Against Hartman For Viola
ting Antitrust Laws
EX-SENATOR CLARK is HIT
Alleged Deal Between the Pacific and
San Pedro Lines Cause Of Proceed
inss-strons Evidence is Obtained
Hartman Forces Agreement-De.
cision on Express Rates.

Washington, May s.-Great interest
has been excited here in what practi-
cally amounted yesterday to semi
official announcement that it was Sthe
Intention Of the government to proceed
! against E. Fl. Hartman of New York
and former Senator w. A. Clark OF
Montana as violators Of the Sherman
anti trust law.
The announcement in question was
based upon the fact that the interstate
commerce commission has collected
evidence tending to show that the
Southern Railway company and the
San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake
railroad company, from June Is, 1903,
until April 15, 1907, operated under an
agreement whereby both roads guar
anteed to maintain the same rates,
charges, ciassifications, and tariffs on
traffic which might have been made the
subject Of competition between them.
Additional Information has been OBJ
tanned here which shows concluslvely
that the Union Pacific, Hartman line.
as we'll aus the Southern Pacific, worked
hand in hand wish the San Pedro to
the prejudice of the shipper and the
public interested. Whereas the South
ern Pacific and San Pedro maintained
like rates in order to stiie competition.
the Union Pacific, or Oregon Short
ay,ttt 11l n n.
solidation, worked under the contract
the first article Of which provided tina:
the San Pedro company would not ex-
tend it's lines or any OF its branches
northWard from Salt Lake City.
BY the making Of this contract. out
of which grew the traffic agreement pc
tween the Southern Pacific and San
Pedro, Mr.. Hartman hoped to stop the
competition for business from the lat
ter system.
Clark and Hartman first fell out
over the rates eXacted by the Hartman
lines on the ore shipped from the Clark
mines. Becoming incensed over the
"hold up rates that he was forced to
pay, Clark made UP his mind to build
a road Of his own.
He started In, and was making prog
ress. when he came to pass in the
mountains. The ever alert Hartman
had secured control Of the pass. 1t was
then up to Clark either to enter into
interminable litigation with Hartman,
to make terms with him, or to go to the
tremendous expense of tunneling the
mountains. He made terms in the form
Of contracts and agreements mutually
satisfactory to BOTH
Neither Mr.. Hartman nor Mr.. Clark
has been put upon the stand<as a wit
ness so far as to the relations of the
Southern Pacific or Union Pacific with
the San Pedro are concerned. Senator
Clark has not appeared in the Harri7
man case at all up to date. In the
hearings of the case on the Pacific
coast. relating to the traffic phase of
the Hartman inquiry. the San Pedro
was represented by j. Ross Clark,
brother of w. A. Clark.
J. Ross Clark did not appear to know
much about the San Pedro agreements
with the Southern Pacific Or Oregon
Short Line His recollection as to
several features Of the transactions
was vague and hazy.
The interstate commerce commission
has rendered it's first opinion in case
involving the reasonableness of an ex-
press rate. The case was brought by
the Society of. American Florists,> who
claimed that the rate charged by the
United States Express Company on
cut flowers from New Jersey points
to New York City was unreasonable,
excessive, and unjust. This rate till
july. 1905, was so cents per 100 pounds,
and at that time was raised to 81 per
hundred pounds.
Commissioner Franklin Lane. who
delivers the opinion of the commission,
holds that the rate should be reduced
to so cents per hundred pounds.