The San Francisco call., 1907-02-07
SHIPPERS TESTIFY
AGAINST RAILWAY
Merchants Of Ventura and
Santa Barbara Tell How
Freight Rates Harm Them
LANE GETS EVIDENCE

VENTURA. Feb e.-The case of tho
city OF Ventura against the Southern
Pacific Company. an effort on the part
OF the shippers of Ventura TO secure
terminal freight rates. was heard 80
this city today before Interstate Com
merce Commissioner Franklin X Lane
The complaint against the railroad was
fled by the Channel Commercial Com
panv. wholesale firm of Ventura and
Santa Barbara, on behalf of the ship
pers Of the two communities. and al
leges unjust and unlawful dissrimina-
tion against the two cities. The COM
plant cites Marysvilae San Jose
Stockton and other cities as enjoying
terminal freight rates. and not being
situated so advantageously as Ven
tura for water and rail transportation.
The hearing was commenced in
Santa Barbara on Tuesday and con-
tirued mere today. The railroads were
represented by J. F. Durbow Of the
Southern Pacific Company's legal de
psrtment in Chicago and Attorney
Norton Of Los Angeles. W. H. Barnes
Of Ventura and B. F. Thomas Of Santa
Barbara presented the contentious af
the shippers Of Ventura and Santa Bar
bara-
large number Of local shippers
were put on the stand. their evidence
showing that by reason Of the local
freight rates added TO the terminal
rates at Los Angeles and San Fran
cisco the shippers in this district were
not able TO compete successfully with
merchants in other terminals. The
whole contention of the Southern Pa
ci7c Company. as brought ont in the
cross ss-eXanination of the witness. was
TO the effect that Ventura and Santa
a1fff frn-,
never had any water competition and
that water competition was a mere
possibility.
The session today was devoted in
the main TO the Introduction of tes-
timony for the shippers. The railroad
company put on two witnesses. r.
C. Sudden testified TO show that Ven
tura harbcr would not permit of ocean
going vessels landing there. although
ships had been coming to the harbor
at long intervals. General Freight
Agent Luce gave expert testimony as to
the establishment Of freight rates in
California and the reasons for the diff
ferentials in the various cities.
Commissioner Lane asked Luce some
pointed questions that were puzzlers
for him. as well as his attorneys. II
was established that the Los Angeles
Ventura freight rate was based upon
the water rate from San Diego TO Ven
tura and was a little lower TO meet
the competition. II also was estab-
lished that the Los Angeles San Diego
rail rate was the same as the San
Peoro-San, Diego water rate. The tes-
tmohy offered by the business men of
Ventura showed that the merchants
OF this section were Disseminated
against so greatys by the railroad
that they We're unable 80 deliver GER
tain ~ ~Coliiiiiou Yes TO the loSeai consumer
a. 'Iie same lgure quoted theS consumer
- i-Os znseles, San Diego ana San
Pedro TIE local merchants 6av the
.oeat ray from Los Angeles in addisio ion
20 the lerminal rate. y,
u Fas shown by the testimony that
f9use of the terminal rates allowed
JOS Angeles jobbers they were. enabled
10 enter Santa Barbara territory and
obtain business which otherwise the
local merchants would secure and also
that manufacturers had been dis
suaded from establishing plants in this
section and that business establish
ments had been restrained and Grip
pied by the lack of terminal rates here.
Luce in closing summed up his evil
dence ~ declaring that Ventura and
Ganta barbara were entirely dissim-
laAr from other terminal points and
that there Were no reasons by analogy
or cfsmpa son for giving these points
terminal rates. Commissioner Lane
ieft - Los Angeles this evening to
continue the railroad hearing in that
city. HIe stated that his findings wouId
be submitted to the commission on his
returny to Washington and that a de-
cisioni would not be rendered before
June.f
RAILROAD GIVES ADVANTAGE
KANSAS CITY. Kan, Feb. Sit de-
Velpped today at the hea-inz before
r. Z. Clark. Interstate Commerce Com
missioner. TO determine whether or not
there has been discrimination in eie-
sator charges here in handling grain
as compared with other points, that
local grain men in certain instances are
given advantages ry the railroads
which are denied gram men in Atchi-
son. Kan. 1t was disclosed that the
Chicago Great Western was IA n.oneer
in allowing local dealers free storase
for grain and that other roads were
get business.
II was brought out that the Chicago
Great Western made no charge for
handling or transferring grain and
that il even stored the grain ten days
free Of charge. Atchson men are
forced TO pay for such services from
the railroads and some of the Atcht-
son dealers claim they will be driven
out Of business il the alleged dis
ordinations do not cease.
GIVES RUSH ORDERS FOR CARS
Los ANGELES. Feb. 6.-Among the
railroad officials who have arrived in
this city to attend the sitting of the
Interstate Commerce Commission to-
morrow is J. c. Stubbs, trafic director
OF the Hartman lines. who is accom-
panied by his legal advisers and is in
conference with local Southern Pacific
officials
The attention Of Stubbs was directed
early TO the car shortage OF which the
citrus fruit growers complain. Stubbs
last night authorized the statement
that he had sent to all parts of the
country rush orders for all available
cars TO assist in hauling the crop. p.
s. Dunn, attorney for the Hartman
lines is with Stubs