The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-04-30
TEST NJ @ N Y
in MERGER
SUIT
COL. CHARLES MOORE AND w. w.
RITTER AMONG WITNESSES.
j. w. Summerhays Tells of Wool Ship
ments and Reasons for Delays
in Getting Cars.

Salt Lake April 29.-It Is expected
that the taking of testimony in the
Hartman Merger suit will close this
afternoon.
Among the witnesses examined this
locating engineer of the Salt Lake
route and w. w. Ritter,
1t Is expected that w H. Bancroft,
vice president and general manager of
the Oregon Short Line and two other
witnesses will be examined.
The federal commissioner Is making
arrangements TO leave for Portland,
Ore, this evening, where another in
quiry along the same lines will be in
stituted.
1--WE ship most of our wool and hides
over the Oregon Short Line and Union
Pacific east" said ]. w. Summerhays,
of Row, Morris, Summerhays' whole
sale wool and hide house of this city,
In response to the question of Attor-
ney Severance, conducting the case
for the government in the hearing OF
the suit to dissolve the merger of Har'
rlman lines, now on at the circuit court
room in this city, I'VE do most OF
our business with the Short Line be-
cause they give us the best service,
When we want to make shipment
over the Denver G. Rio Grande we are
unable to get a car set over on our
switch for three or four days; but
when We order from the Short Line,
we get the car Immediately"
"Why don't the Rio Grande people
furnish you cars as promptly as the
Short Line?" was asked.
Because the Short Line people will
not set the cars In on the switch. Cars
ordered from the Denver G. Rio
Grande must go over the transfer in
the north yards, and these are set over
by Short Line people. Sometimes the
Rio Grande cars are left on the side
track at the transfer for three and four
days, and for that reason II we want
cars at once, we do business with the
Short Line
81 remember one instance OF this
kind in particular" said the witness.
I'VE ordered car from the Denver &
Rio Grande. and 1t was sidetracked at
the transfer. We could not get the car
loose. Finally after several days |
went TO the yard men and bought them
the cigars to set the car over for us,
and then wel got the car"
This remark caused ripple OF
laughter to spread over the court room.
In fact most of Mr.. Surlmerbays' tes-
timony was given In way that Great
ed considerable amusement. He told
of one instance In which the Salt Lake
route, by some "hocus-pocus arrange
ment," had a rate on hides from this
city east which was SIS cents lower
than the best rate offered by the other
lines, and though strenuous efforts
were made to restore the original, or
pool" rate. the Salt Lake route peo-
pie stuck by their rate and got most
Of the business.
Mr.. Summerhays said that a gradual
evolution of higher rates had followed
the merger of lines In 1901, and that
prior to that time, when competition
was rife I'VE could get most anything.
The witness stated in response to
questions by Mr Severance that wool
could be shipped from down the line
south OF salt Lake to Los Angeles and
thence back to Boston cheaper than vim
Salt Lake to Boston. "The rate on
wool from points west Of Tooele to Los
Angeles is so cents" said Mr. Summer
hays. "Tbe price of baling the wool
is 10 cents: the rate OF compressed
wool from Los Angeles to Boston Is
$110. or total of s2.05, the rate from
Salt Lake to Boston on sacked wool Is
$2.13 per 100 pounds"
Tho witness described at some
length conditions existing In the ship
ping world prior to the merger OF lines
In 1901, when competition In tho soil
citation OF business was keen. Since
that time. he stated. it had practically
all died away. oven the Denver & Rio
Grande and competing lines, with
drawing to great extent. their So
liciting agents from the field. In re-
sponse TO question by Judge Lovett.
for the defense. Mr.. Summerhays said
II think the whole push is In the pool
TO raise rates together"
Former Senator Thomas Kearns was
the next witness called. In response
TO a question as to his occupation. Mr
Kearns said he was a workingman
somewhat connected with mining MI
Kearps testified that he was associat-