Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-10
COMMISSION FOR
THE RAILROADS
------- -
Probable Action TO be Demanded
Of Legislature Is CircuIat-
ing In Rumors.
OGDEN SHELTER IS TIED UP
Rate On Orc From Bingham to juno
ton City said to be Pro-
liibitiye.

A railway commission for Utah. as
one of the things which will be con-
sdercd seriously by the forthcoming
session of the legislature, Is rumored
in manner that will not keep down.
1t emanatcs from certain classes of
shippers, particularly wool growers
and in one case from a smSlter. Just
who will take the initiative in the
matter IS not admitted even by those
who are circulating the rumor, and
even these individuals will not permit
the use of their names in connection
with the statements made.
Railroad men, asked what position
they VIII take in the event that such
action appears Imminent In the SEES
sion, decline to talk IN any definite
line. Mr. Reeves of the Hartman
lines being out OF the city, his sub
& ordinatcs prefer to remain silent S.
Y. Derrah of the Rio Grande will not
discuss the matter from the railroad
standpoint. One freight official did
say today, though, that the rumor IS
regarded in railroad circles, where It
IS has been heard for several days, as a
club which a certain class of shippers
is holding over the heads Of the freight
departments of tho roads. This same
official says further that he does not
believe that the commission is at all
probable as Il result of tho forthcom-
4 ing session OF the legislature. a threat
made to scare and not to be actually
resorted to, is his view of the whole
affair.
SAYS &RuMOR WELL FOUNDED.
A prominent wool man, who is also
rated politician of weight. declares
e that the rumor is not unfounded; he
says that the legislature will certainly
take up the fight for equitable rates IL
tho railroads do not grant what the
shippers believe to be only fair de-
mands. Not Il club, but a warning, is
his definition OF the discussion.
Mr.. Reeves left for Chicago to at.
tend the joint rate conference now be-
ing held in that city. It has been said
that the railroads realize the Rdiscrim-
ination charged against Utah shippers
exists, and in n measure to the ex-
tent charged That 1t is the mission
\ OF MIR. Reeves to seek an adjustment
Z in favor of Utah is declaration made
In railroad circles.
Mr.. McCarty of the Commercial club
3 traffic bureau, In the course OF n con-
xersation with a News" reporter to-.
day, said that the rate question Is not
4 as many people believe, a war between
the shipper and the railroad, but Is
more in the nature of a decisive move
on the part Of the shipper to show the
railroad that he is in earnest In thu
matter OF re ad justment Of rates and
will seek to obtain that REIMBURSEMENT
ina friendly, but persistent manner.
WILL FORCE AN ISSUE.
leading wool grower said this
morning with regard to the rumored
railroad commission act, THE Utah
shippers will force this question to an
/ Issue with the railroads. II the big
merchants of the state do not do it,
then the wool men will--or at least a
sufficient number OF wool men whose
interest in the nlatteris sufficient to stir
them to action. With the merchant the
proposition is a little different than it
Z is with the wool man. The merchant,
4 if the freight rate compels him to, can
put the price of his merchandise to Il
point that will provide him with
profit. With the wool man, he must
sell his wool for what the buyer VIII
pay, or else hold it for II better market.
His wool Is his stock in trade and to
get a living with conditions as they
now exist he must have q better
freight rate to the east. The railroads
always cite water transportation in an
argument on discrimination in favor
of California points, but we have have
heard the story 50 often that 1t fails to
produce the effect desired by the rail-
road men. We will work for a railroad
commission and In earnest IL the roads
do not grant the reasonable demands
being made upon them.'
The Ogden smelter, operated by the
Independent Smelling company, Is at
least temporarily out Of commission for
the reason, it is stated, that the Den
Yer & Rio Giande Railroad company
insists on charging a rate of $l,75
ton on ore shipped from Bingham;
which, the company claims it cannot
stand and compete with other Utah
3smelters. ~
1t has been pointed out that the rail-
road company eXacts from the Utah
Copper and some other Bingham min
ing companies only 81 cents Il ton to
transport ore from Bingham to Car
tield and the distance traversed is
about 20 miles, or about one-third the
distance between Bingham and the In
dependent company's sinelters located
nine miles north of Ogden,
The management of the Independent
company AYERS that after car OF ore
Is once loaded, the expense to tho rail-
road company would be very little more
for the 60-mile haul than for the 20
mile haul; therefore discrimination in
favor of the Salt Lake valley plants and
to the detiilnent Of the one near Og-E
den Is charged against the railroad
company.
REFERRED TO OFFICIALS.
Manager Jensen of the smelling com
pany, when seen by representative
of the News today, was somewhat