Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-15
RATE
HEARING IN
SPOKANE
FIRST IMPORTANT CASE
UNDER NEW RATE LAW
Northwestern Shippers Com
plain Of Extortionate larlfI
Maintained by Railroads
Serving That Section.
81, MORNING soornal special Leased wlre.I

Serving mat OeCllOH'
my Morning journal special Leased Wire'i
Spokane, Wash, JAM. 1.-THE per
aonality Of James j. Hill figured con-
spicaously il the first days hearing OF
the Spokane freight rate ease before
the interstate commerce commission,
IL. Al. stephens, Of Spokane anu
Brooks Adams OF Boston, counsel ~
the Spokane chamber 81 commerce,
put a number of witnesses on me htapu
and introduced extensive extracts from
SPOKANE newspapers 20 prove that Mr.
Iiili when ne obtained IN February
1892, d free right-of-way through me
city valued OF 81, 900. 600, pfoinls9u
this city terminal rates or better, II.
M. w. Cotton, for the Hartman ines
and Attorney Cannon for the NorlheIn
Pacific, protested against their foaus
being bound by n promises Wnlei.
Mr.. nm might ave made at thhl
time. Commissioner Prouty said N
frnlv 10 these protests that in d hear
ing Of This character. the facts OF one
company could not well be disassocl-
ntnd from others. IL Mr.. Hills COM
pany should be required TO reduce
rates into Spokane, the other COM
panies would necessarily nave 20 meet
the new rates. That, he SAID, was
their misfortune.
N. w. Durham, editor OF the Spokes-
man Review, was put on the stand 10
IDENTIFY an interview which he per-
sonnliy obtnined from Mr.. Hill in Feb
ruary, 1892. a proof Of which was
submitted 10 Mr.. Hill and received his
approval before II was published IN
me Review the following morning. In
that interview Mr.. Inn said the policy
N charging the Spokane shippers the
through rate 10 the coast plus the To-
cul freight rate back 10 this city was
Illegal and that a jury Of twelve men
could not be found to approve u, lie
said that the people OF spokane, who
then had a case before the Interstate
m commission, had made a
mistake IN going before that tribunals
that they should have gone direct to
the United State court. In this inter-
View Mr.. I'm declared that his COM
pany was not afraid Of water eompe~
tition, and II q canal ten feet deep
were dug alongside the Great North
orn from st. Paul to Puget sound his
railroad would contiNue doing busi-
ness,
~. u. Norman. one Of the owners Of
the Spokane hotel and A.. w. Doland,
president OF the Spokane Drug conn
pany. testified that they had heard
Mr. Hin, while IN spokane, make re-
poAted PROMISES that when his road
should be built 60 this city he would
give Spokane terminal rates or bet.
ter and rates which would enAble u
to compete with any point TO the
south or the west"
ga Cross~examination Of these and
on or witnesses by attorneys for the
two a,ads along the line OF showing
into Spokane had enjoyed ~extraordt-
FoTy prosperity under existing rates.
and To show that under the present
rates the jobberS OF Spokane are doing
business In points half way between
Portland and the Puget sound cities,
and Spokane. Mr.. poland testified
that his drug company breaks eyen
with the coast cities at Wcnatchie on
the Great Northern, Kennwlck on the
Northern Pacific, and Pendleton on
the Oregon Railroad a Navigation
although the terminal car
Ioad ratr on drugs VI 80 cents a hum
drcd less than to Spokane, and the
less than carload rate Is Sl.2b a hum
dred Tess.
Commissioners prouty called the
ease OF the city Of Spokane W.. the
Northern Pacific ct al, attorneys re-
spending for the Northern Pacific, the
Great Northern, the Spokane Falls
ana Northern and the oregon Railroad
and Navigation company. The Cana
dian Pacific. also a defendant. was not
represented. a petition In interview
don was filed by Seth Mann Of San
Francisco in behalf OF the Pacific
Coast Johbers' association, the Port
land Chamber Of Commerce and the
Merchants Protective association Of
seattle, and was allowed, despite obs
lection. Attorney Brooks Adams
opened the fight for the city of Spo-
kane.
This Is the first case Of any Inn
pprtance arising under the new inter-
state commerce law he said.
The railways are not only a high
way. but the most domineering OF
highways. II they have the power
OF charging for transportation they
have the power 90 take from a com-
munlty as much money as they see NJ
unless intcrfered with by competition
or by government regulation. Al
first. competition was sufficient; but
society has realized that competition
no longer answers and has erected a
The vnai 10 intervene.
-ecisr. Adams declared that Iafaes i
ner. had promised Spokane Eeasonahle
ees in return for right-8f-wav CON
aussions. hc declared Mr.. MIN abso.
uately controlled the railroad condi.
aions here. He sai1 rle recently de.
tlarea alNiaeh'. OF $1,000, 600 for
Htli lines shs1nld be- accounted for e
~ fNAt HNN Hait hlAtt tue nut
lngtons tiuking fund Of $4,000. 00f
Nns np6ney taken from thc public. ;
IT.. AkCune testified before the com
nsis <oners that the Pacific Coast Pipe
ifactury IA been driven cat OF bust
ness here because NJ Determinations
freight rates on wooden pipe. ~
stated that under existing rates
Snshcs and doors cannot be- mhnufuc'
fured here Tor shipment 40 compete
With other localities He presented
lisa Of twenry-fhree commodities oI
which the rates from the Missouri
river 10 Spokane were Identical viii
the rates 90 the coast
WcNolutionisfr Convicted.
Al PaF0, Tex.. Jan if-Juan u
rahia and the other alleged reNoiu
tInnIsfs arrested lu JuarcE who have
been on ifiai f0r some time in thN
fraAraf court IA Chihuahua. Mexico