The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-29

third of the dividends on the preferred
stock, These figures showed a general
increase in the expenses of the road.
Fred Wild, jr., general freight agent
for the Denver & Rio GTande, testified
that SO per cent Of the roads tonnage
was the product Of mines. He said the
revenue from strictly Utah freight was
SO, 49,, 900 a year, and he estimated that
the granting of the Utah petition for
lower rates would result in q loss to the
railroad of 1921, 600 a year. If this re-
duction were granted, he did not see
how the road could continue to pay div
idends on its preferred stock.
Some Facts Developed.
On cross-examinatiOn by Mr.. Bah
cock, Mr.. Wild said he did not consider
transcontinental freight business as
properly remunerative, for the reason
that rates were too close to the actual
cost Of operation, and anything below
6lz or mills a ton was too low. He said
the company had two offices on the Pa
cific coast to solicit this business, how
ever. Mr.. Wild said that at present
the California freight business Of the
Denver & Rio GTande was practically
nothing, and when asked regarding the
cause for this falling off, he said he pre-
feTred not to answer fully unless com
PEELED to. He said there had been a
marked increase in the Utah business,
however, and thought the $3,5OO,OOO
year now obtained from Utah was more
than the entire revenue Of the road In
1900
Mr.. Wild said the Provo gateway had
been closed this year, but the reason for
closing it was not brought out.
Further cross-examination brought
out the information that the Utah COM
mon point rate on wool and livestock
to the east applied to all Of the branch
lines. but that the rate did not apply to
the Tintic smelter at Silver City.
The Denver & Rio Grande closed its
testimony with Mr.. Wild.
Statements of Rock Island.
s. H. Johnson, assistant freight traf-
fc manager for the Rock Island, was
examined by A. B. Pierce, attorney for
that road, and more statistical evil
denCe was introduced. He presented
statements regarding commodity rates
which were intended to show that if the
reductions were granted for Utah 1t
would mean reductions for Denver and
other cities farther east. In the cross
ing the complaints of other states re-
gaTding rates, and asked Mr.. Johnson
if he knew of any other community that
had been as patient as Utah. Mr.. John
son thought that Oklahoma had been as
patient, but Commissioner Clark
thought that in recent years Oklahoma
had presented as many cases to the
commission as any other similar num-
Der of acres in the country.
Missouri Pacific Exhibits.
Chester ]. Macpherson, assistant gen.
eraI manager of the Missouri Pacific.
was placed on the stand to introduce
another mass Of statistical exhibits,
which covered about the same ground
for the Missouri Pacific as was covered
by the Denver & Rio Grande earlier in
the day. In enumerating the various
elements that entered into the increase
in the cost Of maintenance and opera
ton, Mr.. Macpherson mentioned the
safety appliance law and the employ
ers' liability act and the hours of ser
vice act. Commissioner Clark said he
did not want the statement regarding
the safety appliance act to go unchal-
lenged, and he asked if it were not true
that the use Of safety appliances and air
brakes reduced the cost Of operation and
the number of men employed.
Mr.. Macpherson said he did not mean
the safety appliance act was not all
right, but it increased the cost Of
operation $175,000 a year There was an
opinion expressed that reduced rates
would not benefit Utah. but Mr.. Bah
cock informed the commission again
that if it saw fit to grant the petition
Utah was perfectly willing to take the
chance.
At the close of the hearing G. G. Dey,
for the Utah shippers, intro
duced as evidence transcripts Of the tes-
Of z. H. Hartman and J. Ross
Clark. which are in the records Of the
interstate commerce commission and
the Hartman merger case now in the
federal court.