Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-15
SP.KAVE FREIGHT
RATE HEARING
Commissioner Prouty, Who Pre-.
sides, CuIIng Out useless Rep
etitions and TechnicaIities
RVS INNINGS TOMORROW.
Thus Far HUl's Testimony Much tive
Most Important, Dealing Chiefly
With Water Competition,

Spokane. Wash. Jan. i5.-~Such rapid
progress Is being made in taking testi-
mony in the suit OF the city of Spokane
10 compel the railways to lower their
freight rates from eastern points that
1t is believed the hearing before the
interstate commerce commissioners will
be concluded by tomorrow night 80 far
as this city is concerned. Commissions
er G. 4. Prouty. who presides, Is
promptly cutting out useless repetltions
and technicalities. The city may con-
clude its evidence this afternoon, much
of the testimony today being In refer
enoe TO comparative rates and the dis
tances to which Spokane jobbers can
ship goo Tomorrow the railways
viii have tneir inning.
From present indications they will
base their defense mainly on the theory
of water competition compelling lower
rates to coast points. They may also
set forth that average profits of oper-
alton for a term of years are not ex-
brilliant and point to the prosperity
and growth of Spokane as evidence
that the city Is not suffering from ex-
listing freight rates.
Commissioner i. *. Lane is expect
ed TO hold supplementary hearings on
the Spokane rate case In Seattle Port
land and san Francisco to enable ship
pers OF those cities to present evidence
to show that water competition requires
lower rates to coast points than to in
terror cities. Commissioner Lane is al
so expected TO conduct hearings as to
the coal shortage In the northwest.
The most interesting point brought
out In the first days hearing was the
evidence that James j. HILL when Sc.
curing concessions for the Great North
u .g...a.
spokane we're eNorbitant: promised To
give this city rates 10 enable 1t to COM
pete with coast centers asserted that
he thought the system which would
cause eastern goods to be hauled to the
coast over the mountains and then
back again. was Illegal declared he
was not afraid of water carriers, and
said.
THE people have an exaggerated idea
about the cheapness of water caTrla &c.
Why, you might build canal 10 feet
deep right alongside the Great North-
ern clear from one end to the other.
! and we would still do the business,
| With such line as we are building. A
| train crew OF nve men can take along
| at speed of 10 miles an hour 500 tons
OF merchandise. To do that on n
| canal would require three to FIVE boats
I and three to five crews OF men at a
three mile gait"
A. w. Doland, manager OF the Spo~
kane Drug company, wholesale arm,
| was a leading witness for the city in
| the freight rate hearing this morning.
He testified that In 1892 General Agent
| ST. John, of the Great Northern. gave
out a memorandum of new freight
schedule prepared by that road, show
Ing reductions OF 10 TO % per cent IN
class rates from the east to Spokane
Instead OF putting this schedule N
! force. another was issued In February.
| 1908, leaving out all the big reductions,
! the greatest cut made being 10 percent.
La Rue Perrine. superintendent OF
the Spokane Dry Goods company,
wholesale. testified that reductions of
freight rates on dry goods were fol-
lowed by reduction in the prices
charged 10 consumers.