The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-19
COMPLETION OF THE
SPOKANE HEARING
Case Will Be Set for Argument
When the Commissioners
Meet.

PORTLAND, Or, April lS.-Though
merce commission hearing today that
the railroads legal array expected TO
gain much from the cross examination
of Expert Gillette, who gave exhaustive
testimony Yesterday bearing on estl-
mates and cost Of construction, the lat
ter bore up brayely under the direct fire
and while few points were credited
to his losses it was the general I'M
preston that he emerged with credit
The railroad interests made out good
case against him through testimony
from contractors following the cross
examination, but while on the stand he
clung TO his original statements. The
case was finished at 1910 and will he
set for argument when the commission
meets
w. W, Cotton was the first witness
sworn and he testified as to the value
of certain Spokane property owned by
the Oregon Railroad and Navigation
company, with reference to which w. G.
Merriwcther was questioned yesterday.
Mr.. Cotton recited the condemnation
proceedings which preceded the build
ing of the line on a thirteen.foot strip
past the Dennlson Bradley addition,
which was acquired by the Washing
ton & Idaho, since Joined with the Ore
gon Railway and Navigation company.
The damages were first assessed at
5l55,000, and on the case being tried by
a jury they were lowered to $4,000,
later being reduced to slightly over
$4,000. The witness said he hired law
yers TO talk on street corners in favor
of the entrance of the road into Spo-
kane, while Mr.. Hill changed his sur
veys 10 the north and got three routes
In examining jurors he said lawyers on
the other side questioned them as to
whether they believed in giving rights
of way TO railroads.
Mr.. Gillette, in taking the stand AL
lowed the Northern Pacific 90 per cent
for bank widening, placing the total
cost of reproduction at $27,0o0,000. In
reply to question from Mr.. Gilman
as To the extent of his railroad expert"
ence, the witness said he spent two
years as railroad engineer and con-
tractor, one year as builder in the ca
paclty of assistant engineer on the
Fairhaven Southern, in Washington.
He acted as an expert in New York
State in securing the cost of construc-
tion OF the Delaware, Backawanna &
Western and on the Pennsylvania lines.
Mr.. Donnelly, for the Northern Pa
citc, said the witness had left $4,000
out of his estimates, which represented
the cost of snow fences. which was adj
mitted also that S7,00O,00O. represent
ing the valne of lines in Manitoba, were
not included in the total, which the
commission allowed Mr.. Donuelly to add
to the aggregate
\. w. Berley, locomotive engineer
and expert, was sworn, to testify to the
fact that three locomotives were re.
quired to haul the train of one engine
on the Northern Pacific from Easton
TO the summit, and two engines for one
train east on the opposite side. He
said he did not know about the Great
Northern, but on the Northern Pacific
an ordinary freight engine would haul
1900 tons from Spokane to Pssco, and
on the east side of the mountain pull
1900 tons with one engine, and one en-
gIne would handle the train to TIA.
coma, and two engines would take 100
tons from the foothills 10 the summit on
that side.
Mr., Adams was permitted 10 offer
circulars, issued by the Northern Pa.
,iic and Great Northern on the last
oans. together with stock brokers' auo,
tatlons at about the same time, Decem-
oer ~, 1906, the day before the loans
were announced, quoting the Northern
Pacific at 2l9M to 2l9&, and Great
Northern at 230 to 229la A statement
of the issue of stock of the Pennsvl- |
wanna lines was not allowed 10 be ad.
mitted.