The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-06-25
"A Visit Was First Paid to the
Site of the Proposed Physi-
cal Connection of the Two
Local Railroads.
PENNSYLVANIA REBUKED
FOR CONDUCT OF CASE.
;Commission Considered 1t Had
Not Presented Proper Argu-
ment in Support of Com
plant.


". McAdams. members of the Indiana
,raflroad commission. arrived in the
city this morning at 10 o'clock and
went at once to the site Of the propos-
ed physical connection between the p,
G. G. & St. l.. and the c., G.. e. L. rail
roads. the plot Of land just south of
where the Panhandle tracks cross
overhead the c.. c. & l.. tracks and
Just west of the Panhandle freight sta
tion. All of this land except a trian-
gular portion at the southwest section
on North d street, is owned by the
Panhandle railroad.
After looking over this site, the
members Of the commission. accompa-
MED by representatives of the two
railroads. went to the meeting room
of ths-Commercial club in the Masonic
temple. The session was attended by
a large delegation of local shippers. in
Guiding manufacturers. jobbers. retail
ers, fuel dealers and commission men
1t is believed by many that there is lit
tie doubt the connection will be or
sdered
Union B. Hunt. chairman of the COM
mission opened the session by explain
ing that the commission was in session
on account of complaint which had
been filed by the p. G. G.. & st. L.,
railroad against the proposed connec-
tion with the c., G.. & l.. in this city.
The session was most interesting
one, in the course of which the COM
missioners took occasion to rebuke the
p. c. c. & st. L.. for not presenting
proper arguments in support of the
complaint which it had filed with the
commission.
Rupe for the Pennsylvania.
John L. Rupe spoke for the P, c. c.
SS ST. l.. He said that the situation
here, briefly stated. is that there are
two railroads. the c.. c. & l.. and the
Panhandle. The latter, he stated. has
been here for a number of years and
has invested a large amount of money.
Now. Mr.. Rupe stated. the new road,
the c., c. & L.. desired physical con-
nection here with the Panhandle.
Some of the shippers. Mr.. Rupe stated,
who are not financially interested in
the cost of making such a connection,
also desired this action
Mr.. Rupe stated that the relative
freight business here would show that
the Panhandle had 75 per cent. of the
inbound business and "a per cent of
the outbound business. He said that
the c., G.. e. l.. had an average of two
cars per mile. while the Panhandle had
thirty-one cars per mile. Then Mr..
Rupe stated that in 1899 to accommo-
date the local shippers a new freight
house had been built and the old
freight house north of the tracks had
been torn down. He further said that
the company has just appropriated
$4,000 to enlarge this freight house
and that the property on which the
proposed connection would be made is
to be the site for the enlarged freight
house. He said IL the commission
forced the Panhandle to make this
connection, it would seriously disturb
and interfere with the plans of the
company. Mr.. Rupe stated that his
company did not think there was suf- |
ficient reciprocity in such a connec-
ton as the c., C. & L. would gain ev-
erything and the Panhandle gain al
most nothing by such action. Mr.. |
Rupe concluded by stating that to
make such a connection a considerable
grade would have to be made and that
the estimated expense amount to
$1,000 which included the amount the
Panhandle would expect for the
ground on which the connection would
be made.
Interruption by Wood.
Commissioner Wood interrupted Mr.. |
Rupe at this point by asking him TO
discuss what advantage such physi- |
cal connection would be TO the public I
and by stating what were the nearest
points to this city where the Panhan- +
die had connections with the c.. G. &
l.. Mr.. Rupe then yielded the floor To
Supe rintendent Neff of the Richmond /
division.
Mr.. Neff stated that he thought the 4
shippers should be called upon to an
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