The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-28

to get sufficient number of compe- tent. and reliable men.
 "Are you earning your fixed charg- esT inquired Special Counsel Moore.
 We are not" replied Mir. Ackert
 Are you reducing operating ex-
 Must Reduce Expenses.
 We are.s responded Mir. Ackert, "ayery day. If we are compelled to employ additional operators. we will be obliged to reduce expenses In other lines. We cannot comply with this law and at the same time meet our other obligations. We cannot increase our expenses and keep out of the hands of the bondholderssof the road. We are struggling to prevent a catastrof phe. Our fixed charges are in exec i. of st1.0OD.000 per annum. We did z ' earn half of our fixed charges in lb, z cember. In the first seven days of February we went off S36.000 a day and the decrease still continues
 You are virtually asking us," sug- gested Chairman Knapp, Ito. apply the law to one-third of your stations and abrogate 1t as to two-thirds of them"
 We are asking that the time be extended" replied Mir. Ackert, until we get the money to pay"
 Tn other words" said Commissioner Knapp. Congress has legislated as to one-third of the stations and you ask to legislate as to the other two- thirds"
 T.. F. whfttlesey. general manager of the Seaboard Air Line. testified gen- orally to the fact that there had been serious slump fin the revenues of the Seaboard Air Line during the past four months and that while it might be possible for the company to secure the necessary number of operators, the em- ployment as additions to the operating force of the road would be a serious finapcial hardship. He declared that the company simply did not have the money with which to pay any in- creased operating expenses.
 George l.. Potter. operating vice president of the Baltimore and Ohio. testified that the road already had put the law into operation to a consider able extent but that on the 24th insant 1t lacked ninety-three men. He said it was proposed to meet this emergen- cy by closing offices and by placing few other twenty-four hour offices on an eighteen hour basis. gt'
 Tn January" said Mir. Potter, the Baltimore and Ohio failed even to re- turn its fixed charges by $100,000, and the indications are thus far in Febru- ary that the situation is stiil worse"
 Continued Depression.
 A. K. LAwton, first Vfce-prestdent or the Central of Georgia Railway, asked a suspension of the law as to twenty offices. He said they were bound to look forward to continued depression. If we have to comply with the law" said he. i've will close offices. We make no claim that we cannot procure the necessary operators. We simply do not expect to employ any more men We cannot afford to-"
 Substantially similar arguments were presented to the commission by J. c. k Rawn. vice. President of the Illinois Central on behalf of that line. the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley and the Indianapolis Southern.
 You have heard" suggested Chair man Knapp, "the cases presented here since 10 o'clock this morning. How much of the law would be left # we granted all the petttionsg'
 s.As much. Mfr oslzGr1nan. z rssppnded Mr. Rawn, '.as the present conditicas would warrant.
 The hearing probably will be con- cluded tomorrow.