The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-01
THE COAL HEARING
VASTLY INTERESTING
Col. Wall Says He Has Not
Operated Railroads, but They
Have Operated Him.
RATES SHOULD BE EQUAL TO
LARGE AND SMALL SHIPPERS
Mr.. Griffin of the Freight Bu-
reau Declares That No Pool
Ing Exists Now.

The Joint Committee on Coal Short
age and Freight Discrimination held
another meeting IN the Mayor oInct
yesterday, commencing at lO a m. TwC
witnesses were examined, Col. u. "A
Wall aud Charles H. Griffin, manager
OF the Local Utah Freight bureau. Col
Wall was asked about his experience III
shipping ore from Bingham 10 The
valley smelters Col. Wall replied that
ho had not shipped any ore from Bing'
ham during the last two years. In the
matter of COAL ne said that coal had
to be purchased from the railroad com
pany at a certain rate per ton; it was
so in the purchase of lumber and the
like. Col Wall said he knew the rates
on ore TO the valley: that until recently
the nominal rate was $2.15 per ton on
ores having vuluc of less than $l5 a
ton. Freight rates are based on ore
values. Ores arc shipped to the valley
smelters for so cents q ton.
Are the same rates given 10 small as
the large shippers9' was asked.
''Thcy are not. To small shippers
they charge two or three times as much
az to large shippers. ] mean by small
shippers those miners who furnish ore
IN carload lots occasionally. There
ought To be no difference.
~ do not favor n maximum rate, but
| believe that rates should be so ad
justed as To prevent discrimination be-
tween parties. The small shipper should
have the same rates as the large ship
per. There should be the same rate for
all; the same for one car aa for ten, and
the rate should not be made dependent
on value. Of course, ii is more profit
able to the railroad company to ship
in large quantities than 10 pick up cars
hnr
which is made against small shippers of
ore has tendency to merge the mines
thus operated into large companies a
maximum tariff would NOT be n solution
Of the rate problem in orc shipments
With coal the conditions are DIFF
ferent. A maximum rnte for coal trans
'portstion could be established The
tariff rates as established by railroads
IN this State as applied 10 the Droduc-
ton of mines are grossly uureasona-
BILE
Proposed Amendment.
Here the Colonel read a written
IN the nature of an amendment TO sec
tlon 455, Revised Statutes of Utah.
1888. Under tins amendment the
Colonel thought that the section above
cited, relating to railroad freight
rates, could be enforced. The proposed
anne ndment reads as follows:
And the offer FOR shipment in carload
lots of any kind or class of material
product or commodity shall be deemed
iull compliance with all requirements as
10 circumstances, conditions and pe,iod
OF time as said terms are employed in
'hls section. and no portion of any COM
modify or product shall be subjected to
greater charge for transportation than
any other portion Of the same product or
commodity by reason OF It's greater in
GaI tb,r
loss OF mineral ores shipped loose or in
nuik by reason OF unavoidable accidents
may be AT the shippers risk II so pro
Fjded In the contract.
~ am not familiar with the condi-
lions upon which transportation rates
are based, said Col Wall "There
ought not TO he any discrimination
against small irregular SINNERS. he
cause the real profit in The high grade |
ore which they are compelled to ship is
small, on account of the small seams
or veins in which it is fonnd The gen
eral purpose is to fix and exact a rate |
Tor all the product will stand
Inc Colonel was cross.examiued by
7. L. Williams general attorney of the |
Snort Line, but nothing further of
value TO the committee was brouobt |
out. Mr.. Williams asked the Colonel
II be had ever operated a railroad. The !
Colonel promptly replied that he had /
not, but that he had been operated by .
the railroads.
Mr. Grifin's Testimony.
c. II, Griffin, in response TO ones
tlons put TO him by Mr. Lawrence. said
that he was the joint agent for the va.
r1oue railroads; had supervision of the
publication OF freight tariffs of all the
lines III Utah ~ do not make rates -
l he association was Joint agency and
was not authorized to make rates 1sTt
was my duty to publish the rates and
have the same fled with the Interstate
commerce commission. This Joint
agency was i'll existence for severai
years, but was disbanded on the 9Th nf
February. This was because tbev
might have received word from tbe;,
legal departments that the associat;on
did not conform 10 the statutes of tbo
state They are now doing business
the witness said, as the Local IitaL
Freight bureau.
After disclaiming that there was anv
pooi IN The joint association, the Wit.
ness SAID that the object Of the bureau
was To prevent discrimination aga;nst
shippers "''
The witness was asked great many
questions respecting the posting of
rates by the several railroad lines. h.
dlsclalmed any knowledge Of pooIing
rates by any lines in this State NJ
did explain the method OF pooling bnt
sald nothing of the kind was Conducted
by the railroad lines in Utah
The witness will appear for furtbe-
examination before the commission tol
day at lao o. m. :"