The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-06-25
INDIANA RAIL ROAD
COMMISSION HEARD
FREIGHT TESTIMONY
(Continued From Page One.)
Continued From Page One.)

swer the first question. In answer to
the second question he stated that
Muncie and, he thought, Cincinnati
were the nearest points to this city
where the Panhandle had connections
with the c., c. & l.. He said that on
ly one local shipper had approached
him personally in the matter and that
the letters which shippers had sent to
the Commercial club, which Mr. Neff
had seen, did not make any specific
statements.
Mr.. Neff was asked if physical
connection was made, what figures
showing the amount of freight which
would be diverted from the Panhandle
to it's competitor, would be produced.
Mr. Neff replied that he did not have
such statistics. Mr.. Wood then sharp
ly demanded why the Panhandle had
entered a complaint without being pre-
pared to answer this question, which
he said had the most vital bearing for
and against a physical connection OF
the c., G. 81 l.. and the p, c. c. Il st.
L. General superintendent McCarty,
of the p, G.. c. & st. l.. stated that his
company was at the present time not
in possession of such statistics and
that he thought it would take at least
six months to gather such figures. Mr..
Neff stated that he thought he could
obtain these figures from the CONNER
cial club, but had found that the club
had no such statistics. Judge Wood
remarked that he thought it was the
place of the railroad company and not
the Commercial club to supply such
statistics.
One of the best points brought out
in the discussion was in short adj
dress made by John F. Robbins on be-
half of the c., G. & l.. Mr.. Robbins
remarked that if it was true that the
Panhandle handled 81 per cent of the
outbound business and 75 per cent of
the inbound business, he thought it
was ample time for an interchange of
freight, so that the p, c. c. & l..
would no longer have a monopoly on
the local freight business. Mr.. Rob-
bins stated that his company was not
at the present prepared to present any
arguments for an interchange Of
freight, as it had been understood
that the commission was not here for
that purpose today. He stated that
he thought the commission was here
only to examine the proposed site for
a physical connection and to determine
the feasibility of such connection.
Following the statement made by
Mr.. Robbins, Mr.. Haas, secretary of
the Commercial club, was put on the
witness chair and he gave the popu
lation of the city, it's business inter
list of factories and wholesale hous-
es and on what roads they were To-
Gated Mr.. Haas stated that the Com
mercial Club favored freight inter
change. James A. Carr, vice presi-
dent of the American Seeding Machine
company, spoke for the Hoosier Drill.
He favored freight interchange and
stated that the Hoosier Drill at pres
ent had to do nearly all its shipping
over the Panhandle. d. l.. Mather, w.
w. Schultz, G.. H. knollenberg, S. S.
Strattan, Jr., Henry Robinson and 9TH
err business men testified before the
commission. All of these men favored
a physical connection of the two roads.
Mr.. Knollenberg stated that factory
sites along the p, c., G. & St L. ow-
ing to its almost complete monopoly
of local freight business were nearly
all taken and could only be obtained at
high figures On the other hand Mr..
Knollenberg remarked, factory sites,
and desirable ones, along the c., c. &
l.. could now be obtained for almost
song. Commissioner Wood remarked
thai this was a good argument and de-
served consideration.
A little after II o'clock the commits
sion concluded its business and adj
iourned Chairman Hunt remarked
that the local case would be consid-
cred at once and that the commission
would shortly hand down its decision.
Judging from the attitude of the COM
missioners a decision against the
Panhandle can be expected.