Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-04
Interstate Commerce Commis- sion Has Begun Investigation
 of Inc Big Railroads
WILL LAST FOR WEEKS
And Hartman The King of Them All Must Face the Mnslc With All of the
 Others.


 commerce commission began to-day an inquiry in this city into the af- fairs of the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railway systems, the underlying purpose of the investiga- tion being to discover whether there is an agreement between them that may be construed as in restraint of trade under the Sherman antitrust act. The inquiry, 1t is said. will last many weeks and the commission will sit in a number of cities, going west from here.
 All of the various so-called liar riman lines" in the west and north west, 1t Is said. will be inquired into relative to any connection they may have with the Union and Southern Pacific.
 The hearings in this city are to be held at the federal building. Among the witnesses who have been summoned are A. L.. Mohler, vice. president and general manager of the Union Pacific system; J. c. Stubbs, traffic director: William Mahl, con- troller: Alexander Millar, secretary; w. V. s. Thorne, director of purchase, and Julius Kruttschnitt, director of maintenance and operation, all of the same system.
 Many of the facts pertinent to the inquiry are said to be matters of ~nno~J o~d o uup,hor of fho -ooejopc probably will be given over to the introduction of such documentary evidence as the commission shall re- quire. In this connection the ofi- CTS of the various Hartman com panies" will be called upon to give testimony as to the compositions of the different systems as shown in the annual reports. In addition to the Union Pacific and the Southern Pa cinc the companies which will prob ably figure most prominently in the inquiry will be Oregon Short line, the Oregon Railway & Navigation, company and the San Pedro. Los An- geles & Salt Lake company.
 There is also a report that, as the inquiry develops, the commission may call as a witness Mir Harahan, the newly elected president of the Illi- nois Central railway. The entire scope of the investigation has not been announced. for much, it is stat ed. will depend upon the testimony produced in the early sessions.
 Chairman Knapp and Commission CT Lane are acting for the full com mission in taking the testimony. As- sistant Secretary Deck of the com mission Is also present.
 It was the understanding that after sitting here to-day and tomorrow. the commissioners would proceed to Chicago to take further testimony. Frank B. Kellogg and c. A. Sever ance. attorneys of St Paul, Minn, are appearing as the legal representa- tives of the commission. Robert S. Lovett appeared as counsel for the Union Pacific.
 William B. Cornish. vice-president of the Union Pacific: w. V. s. Thorne. director of purchases; Alexander Mill ar. secretary. and William Mahl. comptroller. all of the Union Pacific system. were present as witnesses when the commission met this morn ing.
 Mir Lovett of counsel for the Union Pacific, said that Mir Hartman would be able to give his testimony in the regular form later.
 "The commission will sit in Chica- go on "Wednesday next" said Chair man Knapp. will MT Hartman be able to appear then and there?"
 No, sir," came the prompt reply from counsel.
 Without designating specific date for a further inquiry" said Chairman Knapp. "the commission will accept the excuse offered for the non-appearance of Mir Hartman. and as there is no desire to press mat ters at this time. he will be excused for the present"
 The first witness sworn was Sec retsry Millar of the Union Pacific. He said in response to questions by Mir Kellogg that he was also secretary of the Southern Pacific railway. and of the Oregon short line. He said he vas assistant secretary of the Ore eon Railway and Navigation Co.
 "Is it not a fact that all of these companies are under the same con- troI: haven't they all the same presi- dent-E. H. Hartman"
 "Yes. sir"
 The same vice-president-Mr Cor nish."
 "Yes. sir"