The San Francisco call., 1907-06-21
SHIPPERS HELD
UP BY YAROMEN
FOR 500 A GAR
Grating by Railway En-
ployes at Sparks, New,
Is Uncovered
NO COIN, NO FREIGHT
Advantage Taken of Great
Congestion at Junction
of Roads
TELL OF PAYMENTS
Local Men Say Their Only
Salvation Was to Give
Up Tribute
TELL OF PAYMENTS

An organized system of graft
among employees of the Southern
Pacific at Sparks, New, has been
unearthed, showing that San
Francisco consignees have been
forced to pay tribute to expedite
the delivery of their freight. That
tribute has been paid for some
time is not denied, but to just
what proportions the system has
grown is not known. Automobile
dealers. building contractors and
lumber dealers have systernat-
ically been compelled to pay men
in the freight yards at Sparks in
order to get their shipments
through. In some cases cars have
been held on side tracks for two
months while the San Francisco con-
signees protested in vain. After ex-
hausting every other means to get their
goods, local dealers have finally found
that coin and coin alone could get
them their shipments in anything like
reasonable time.
That such form of graft should
come into existence is due primarily
to the congestion on the lines of the
railroads. Sparks rs the point at which
the Oregon Short Line transfers west
bound freight to the Southern Pacific.
The vast amount of material shipped
to San Francisco since the earthquake
has brought about situation at the
Nevada town like that which existed
at Tampa during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war. Freight cars stand on the
tracks for miles. Agents sent to
Sparks by the local merchants to ex-
pedite shipments have found that gold
coin can bring about speedier results
in the forwarding of the cars than any
amount of argument.
ADMITS PAYING $50
Roy Mauvais of the Mauvais motr
car company admits that he paid $50
to bring about the shipment of car
Of automobiles blocked at Sparks, but
denies that he has acted as an agent
for others who desired to hurry their
freight along.
Money was used to bring our ship
ment through from Sparks to San
Francisco" said Mauvais yesterday,
after it had been delayed in transit
some AZ days from Milwaukee. The use of
money was necessary and did expedite
the delivery Of our freight. deny that
L have ever offered to bring through or
suggested to any person that we would
bring through, for any money consider
alton, any shipment for any person or
persons. Any one stating the contrary
to be the case is stating that which he
willfully knows to be false and ma
liciously untrue"
Among the big wholesalers in San
Francisco it was stated yesterday that
transcontinental shipments which for
merly required from 15 to 20 days now
consume from 80 to 80 days. 1t was
formerly possible to trace a car en-
route, but the railroad company is now
seldom able to inform the shipper ac-
curately as to the location of his car.
With the congestion of freight in the
railroad yards the employees have seen
and embraced the opportunity to pick
up a little money on the side. w. B.
Lomax. who is associated with Mauvais.
described this situation in telling yes
terday of his experiences at Sparks N
hurrying a shipment of automobiles 10
the coast with a little gold.
Yes" he said. Il paid $50 to get the
car through. There were a number
of persons there on the same business
and they put up coin just as / did. /
do not know the inside of the system
up there, nor who is at the head sos
it, but after a little talk with some OF