Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-05-09
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The Pennsylvania House passed the
bill placing 3 cents tax a ton on anthra-
cite coal, it being argued that the burden
would fall largely On consumers outside
the State.
Chairman Knapp of the interstate COM
merce commission announced its purpose
to ask the Circuit Court at New York
to order Z. II. Hartman to answer GER
tain questions concerning transfers and
sales of Union Pacific stock which he re-
fused to answer recently when he was
a witness before the commission. The
commission thus seeks to establish it's
right to inquire into such transactions.
3. F. Yoakum. chairman of the Rock
Island system, in a newspaper interview
said that railroad had no more business
to be at the mercy of stock jobbers than
a savings bank or a life insurance COM
pany, and that American railroads should
be as much a public trust as those institu-
tons. He said the people were not with
out justification in their belief that the
railroads had been Systematically robbing
them, and that no one was to blame for
the present anti-railroad sentiment but
the managers themselves.
AS an Offset to the raise in grain rates
by the Union Pacific between Omaha and
Council Bluffs the Chicago Great West
ern railroad began hauling grain free
from Council Bluffs into Omaha when
destined to elevators on the tracks of the
Chicago Great Western and charging only
So per car when destined to elevators on
other tracks. The Union Pacific charges
So per car for the same service. The
Great Westerns action will have a far
reaching effect on Iowa grain destined to
Omaha and places the Omaha market on
a parity with the Chicago market.
Two more attempts have been made to
wreck trains on the Pennsylvania rail-
road in western Pennsylvania and Ohio,
and President McCrea has called con-
ference of the vice presidents and various
division officials to take extraordinary
measures for the suppression Of what is
believed to be a desperate band of wreck
ers. The detectives say that the motive
of these crimes is robbery and not the
vengeance of discharged employees. A re-
ward of $500 for Information leading to
the conviction and a much larger secret
reward to employees. has been offered.
Counsel for the Great Northern railroad
at st. Paul gave notice that the fine of
$4,000 imposed by Judge Morris for
giving rebates on grain shipments would
be appealed. The judge imposed $1,000
on each count, this being the minimum
fine.
The 2-cent railroad fare bill passed by
the Pennsylvania Legislature and signed
by Gov Stuart is to go into effect Sept.
80. but the letter from President McCrea
of the Pennsylvania railroad to the Gov
ernor requesting veto served notice that
the law would be tested through the
courts as to its constitutionality.
The report of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati,
Chicago and st. Louis railway for 1906
shows gross earnings OF S34,4S5,J00 for
the 1000 miles Of the road in operation.
The net earnings were SS.535, 151. or an
increase of $1,O02. 936 over preceding
year.
Directors of the Buffalo. Rochester and
Pittsburg railway have asked the stock
holders TO approve a mortgage securing
S3j.000,000 of fifty-year bonds bearing
interest at not over AZ per cent, the pro-
ceeds to 90 to consolidation. the debt. ex-
tensions and general improvement. Only
100000 of the issue would be out
in the near future.