The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-01-17

Dy tiCii oWh ViShScoSSB AhNi
duced at this trial, the railroads
admit criminal conspiracy which is
subject under the laws to a fine
Of $4,000 and two years imprison-
ment."
Such was the heated declaration
made at the rate hearing this morn.
ing by Brooks Adams, of Boston, at
torney representing Spokane.
w. w. Cotton, representing the
Oregon Railroad & Navigation Co.,
replied that he would be only to
pleased to go into court on the sub
ject, but he must insist that Spo-
kane jobbers who attended the
meeting in Chicago in 1904, when
the rates for this territory were ad-
justed, be also proceeded against.
j. G. Woodwork, traffic mana
ger of the Northern Pacific, was
recalled for cross examination. He
became suddenly afflicted with al
most an absolute loss of memory
with regard to the question of rates
and could not, or would not, recite
a single instance of rate. He
wanted to refer to the tariff sheets.
Brooks Adams questioned him as
to the division Of rates with steam
ers on shipments of iron rails
which the witness finally said went
to the orient for NO ton. Wood
worth said the boat lines got from
25 to so per cent Of the amount At
torney Stephens asked him If the
Great Northern railroad did not
own a line to the orient. Woodwork
said that James J. Hill was instru.
mental in the formation of the
Great Northern Steamship Co., but
would not say that the line was
controlled by Hill. Neither would
he admit that the Northern Pacific
controls the Boston Steamship Co.,
running from Tacoma to the orient
BY referring to tariff figures
Woodwork said raw iron was
shipped to Spokane for s1.23 and
to the coast for rs cents. Manu-
featured machinery sent to Spo-
kane, however, gets a terminal rate
of 95 cents.
Alex NJ. Winston, for the city
asked him If the railroads encour-
aged thereby the building of saw.
mills and the operation of mines
but discouraged foundries. Wood
worth said not necessarily.
Brooks Adams asked him if il
/ was a railroads business to quar-
ter out territory and make all the
money it could; if it ever occurred
to him that railroads should treat
| people equally and give the same
service for the same rate.
Woodwork replied that all roads
| try to keep III mind their obliga
| tions--all things considered.
Attorney Dunn, for the Union Pa
cific, asked the witness if this fight
was not the outcome of a fight be
tween the jobbers of Spokane ant
the coast. Woodwork explained
that such had been the issue in the
past, but the present controversy
was over carload and less than car
| load rates.
A. l.. Miller, general freight
agent of the o. II. & n, presented
some figures on jobbing in the vi
cinity OF the Snake river. He SAID
Spokane did 10 per cent of the bust
ness north of the Snake river
against Portland's 80 per cent. He
admitted, however, that Portland
jobbers did all the business south
of the Snake river
He said that in the event of the
commission granting termina
rate to Spokane, q terminal rate
would be voluntarily put in effect
by the railroads to such places as
Walla Wala, Pendleton and Mis-
soula. Attorney stephens said
Spokane jobbers wound take theii
chances on getting the business
against those places. Miller said
the effect of lower rates for Spo
kane would be to extend its dis
trlbuting territory.
This afternoon Commissioners
Prouty and the attorneys are en-
gagged in deciding just what par