Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-12-13
RAILROAD COMMISSION
VISITS GRANTS PASS
Comes Here to Give tho People a
Chance to Make Com plant
About Train Service

Tuesday the Oregon Railroad Com.
mission, consisting of Messrs. G. b.
Aitcheson, Oswold West and T. F.
Campbell dropped into Grants Pass,
although their coming was known tc
but comparatively few citizens.
Along with the Commission came a
number OF prominent S. P. people, in.
Guiding Gen. Pass Agent VIM. Nc.
Murray; Asst. Gen. Psss. Agent S. q.
Stone; Travelling Freight Agent, JIM.
jenkins. Superintendent l.. R. Field,
W. d. Fenton, leading attorney for the
lines in Oregon, and s. P. Rosen ba um.
the Medford s. P. Agent and Deputy
District Attorney Clarence Reames
was also on hand to conduct the exam
ination Of witnesses, who might be
called to testify regarding the present
service being rendered the travelling
public by by the S. P. folks.
Many ciizens would have liked to
have attended and testified, had they
known anything about the meeting.
But they failed to hear of the session
until it was over. Postmaster Har.
mon, whom Attorney Fenton fire..
quently addressed as "Senator. proved
to be one of the best witnesses on be.
half OF the complainants. Hs showed
that by the taking off OF the two pass
engers trains. Nos. II and -, the ma.
jority OF the country people living in
the section tributary to Grants Pass
very FREQ uently received their mail "a
hours late.
A. @. Horgh was called an told how
he had been somewhat DISCONNECTED
by the present arrangement. as he
could not now make trips up an down
the road as nicely rs heretofore.
Mayor ]. c. Smith proved to be a
good witness, as lie told how, 10 max
ing may professional trips out IN the
country he now WAS forced to resort 10
teams to make the journey, whereas,
formerly he found the train service
very convenient.
City recorder Clements was called
and told how he had found very much
complaint among the people.
I. K. Anderson, Galice mining
man added some valuable testimony,
showing how inconvenient the present
schedule Of trains was for the reople
out his way.
Judge Stephen Jewell believed that
the service now WAS not at all as sat
isfactory, although personally he had
not much complaint to make,
Roy Wilson, manager for the firm of
Harth & Son told how 1908 travelling
shoe men called upon that firm, dur.
ing the year 1906. He testified that
the drummers were very much put
out by this new plan and that il also
worked hardship on the merchants,
as there was but little time between
trains, and the drummers tried to
take the second train out. as it meant
lay over Of "a hours, il they did not.
At this juncture the Commissioners
took occasion TO call up Agent Rcsen.
baum TO the witness stand and then
they proceeded to quiz him regarding
the famous resolutions which were
adopted by the Medford Commercial
Club, where it WAS given out
that the people of that community
were entirely satisfied with the pres
ent train service. Commissioner
West asked how many citizens, aside
from the railroad representatives were
at said meeting. Mr.. Rosenbaum
seemed indignant that any such ques-
tions should be asked. bot admitted
that there were about 20 people pres
ent and that it was a unanimous vote.
When asked 10 tell who those people
were, be could only recall the names
OF about 10. He said thst it was n
COmIuOu luluk lOI buc Ahthiblh Nom-
mercial Club to have only 20 to 30
members out at the business meet.
ing. He said that the city council
was heartily 10 favor Of said resolu.
tions and would have passed them the
other night, only it did not think II
was necessary to do so, although Edi-
tor Putnam OF the Tribune was pres.
ent and put tbe question 10 each mem
Der as to whether he was favorably in
clined TO the resolutions, with the re-
suit that they AL said they were. He
replied to the interrogations of the
Commission in such manner as TO
indicate all too plainly that he resent
ed the implied insinustions that the
resolutions might have .been rail
rosded" through the club meeting.
Jos. Woke testified that his frn
was much ineonvenienced because it
could not ship giant powder on the
a