Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-27
WHEN A POOL IS NOT A POOL.
Dissolution of Local Freight AS
ISOLATION After Commencement
OF Present Investigation.
Colonel Wall and His witty Rctort IN
Attorney Williams ns 10 Meth
obs OF cooperation"

The foature Of today's legislative Of
fort to probe into coal conditions ana
discriminating rates IN Utah was AN
effort on The part OF one witness,
charles r. Griffin, manager of tho
late Local Utah Rate association
and at present manager ot the "utah
freight bureau to explain when Il
pool Is not a pool
Senator Lawrence. special attorney
for the Legislative. committee. asked
question after question OF Grimm
aimed at drawing out of him whether
or rot his association was a pool, Each
time he declared that he had always
been careful not To call " pool. II
was developed, however. that II pun
lished Joint rates IN all Utah territory
down to laayson, that an agreement
existed whereby one company has the
Tintic traffic for one month and the
other for the next month, and that all
rates in Utah were published by this
association.
"ERRoR" IN DISSOLUTION.
Whom asked a question as 10 its eS-
sstence lust now he declared 1t was
dissolved and when pinned down as
TO dates, he WAS shown freight
schedule ISSUED by II on the 18th OF
February giving a very high rnte on
bricks from Murray to salt Lake. lie
thought that this was an error on tne
part OF the young man making up the
rates.
He declared that the association WAS
dissolved on Feb 7, OF this year.
Isn't II a fact" led back Mr., Law
renee that the association was ais
solved because this legislature was. IN
session, and because this investigating
committee was organized"
Not that know Of
"pjd it not dissolve because II was in
conflict with the interstate commerce
laws, and with the laws OF Utah
Perhaps; / guess tho companies
wanted TO conform to the laws after
finding out what they We're"
Are you familiar with the statutes
in rFtah on forming pools and monopo-
lies?"
mo, but guess ignorance of the law
would not excuse man.
TINTIC- MILFORD RATES.
Under cross examination it was
brought out that the rate into Tintic is
much greater for commodities than the
rate into Milford, which is nearly three
times as far away, but Mr.. Griffin
maintained that he had nothing to do
with the making of rates. his work be-
ing merely to publish the Joint rates
after the various companies belonging
10 the association had agreed to Them
That this destroyed competition, he de-
MED as he maintained that under the
agreement each company could publish
an independent rate II it wished to. II
was developed however, that the rate
where more than one line runs. is tho
same all over Utah on all roads.
COL. WALLS CHARGE.
The Investigation was held in the
office of Mayor Thompson. and the en-
tire committee was present. Besides
Mr.. Griffin the only witness called was
Col. f. A. Wall. who bad had experience
shipping ore out OF Bingham. Harry
Joseph was summoned TO tell about
shipments out OF Tintic, but he was not
called, as the time was too far ex
hausted. John Dern and r., P. Gridley
had been subpoenaed but could not be
located by Asst Sergt.-at-A Arms Edge
hill, who found that they were both
out OF town.
Col. Wall proved an interesting Wit
ness. He detailed how the railroads
make 1t hard for the Bingham miners
who are not in with the big operators.
When he was shipping orc three, four
and five years ago he paid S1-15 per ton
or SEES per ton, while the Highland Boy
mine got It's product hauled down at the
rate Of 40 ana so cents
AS TO OPERATION"
After he had concluded his Testimony
ne was taken in hand by Mr.. T0lton
for a series of questions. and later by
Farley l.. Williams Mr.. Williams
started out kindly enough, bat waNed
more severe and finally began TO at
tack Col. Walls knowledge OF railroad
matters.
Have YOU ever operated railroad?"
demanded Mr.. Williams In rather harsh
tones.
NO." came the ready reply. II have
never operated railroad; but l have
been operated by them often enough"
In trying 10 bring out thDt the large
producer occupied the relative position
With the railroad that the retailer and
wholesaler have 10 each other in prices.
Mr., Williams drew only from Col, WAL
declaration that II costs no more or
very littlo more 10 haul a car of ore.
no matter Who furnishes it, and so long
as ore is delivered in carloads at a reg
Ilar loading station, II ought 10 30 10
its destination IN the same train with
the big shippers ore, at The same
price.
"A FAIR DEAL" RATE
Do you favor a maximum raIe?' put
IN Mr. Lawrence.
No said col. Wall. m the big
thlpper's rate can be- participated in
hy the small shipper. it will be sur
lclent This viii give a fair deal to
an There are so many conditions that
an arbitrary rate would not M them
all with Justice"
Are you familiar with the aglta.
uon for railroad commission 80
Not very familiar with H. btlt / find
That The law already In existence does
not carry out Us purpose. Thor. ara
some words that are evaslve at critical
positions, and through these constrllc /.
Tons think the railroads could es-
cape successful prosecutions.
lotions QUERY.
Representative TOlton took charge
of Col Wall long enough To arlriio
against an amendment to existIne
laws, asking him II he had ever tested
ihom, and why he did not test them
hofore suggesting an amendment
"The fair Way replied tbs Witness
w 10 l1x the law 80 that Il becomes
Mhat 1t purports 10 be- Col Wall
!hei submitted a written amendment
10 he existing statute. mentioning a
ghf load rate as basis for fixing the
h.n. and making It explicit that all