Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-08
GIVE EVIDENCE
IN RATE CASE
HEARING AT SEATTLE ONE OF
IMPORTANCE
WITNESS TELLS HOW TRADE
WAS SQUEEZED OUT
Managing Director of the Humboldt
Steamship Line Says combina-
tion Took All Through
Traffic Business
tBy Associated Press ]


SEATTLE, Oct. THE interstate
commerce commission, with all its
seven members present, passed most OF
today listening to the complaint of tho
Humboldt Steamship company against
the White Pass g. Yukon Railway COM
pany.
The big business of the commission
the hearing of the distributive rate
cases-in which Seattle, Tacoma and
Portland shippers are asking a read
justment of eastbound rates, will be
reached tomorrow.
San Francisco and other coast cities
are equally interested with the nor
thern cities in this matter. The coast
shippers are asking a readjustment of
rates as far east as their shipments
reach, in order that coast manufactur
ers and jobbers may compete on an
equal footing with the shippers of st.
Paul, Omaha, Chicago, Kansas City
and other distributive points in the
middle states.
The great bulk of the shipments from
the coast go out on class rates, while
the eastern shippers enjoy commodity
rates on articles that have been picked
out of the classes.
The so-called Spokane rate case will
be affected only indirectly by the hear
ing on the distributive rate cases.
ConVenes Early
For the first time on the Pacific
coast the full membership of the in
terstate commerce commission began
its hearings early.
The case Is known as the Seattle
Chamber of Commerce Transportation
bureau, and the Tacoma Traffic assocl
alton against the Northern Pacific rail-
road and others.
The complainants ask for reduction
in the eastbound rates to equalize the
rates given eastern jobbers and manu-
facturers on goods sent westward.
The contention of the coast shippers
is that they should have freight rates
as low to points in Montana, Idaho and
oregon on eastbound shipments, as
those given to shippers at st. Paul
Chicago, Omaha and Kansas City on
westbound shipments.
Suits have been filed by Portland and
San Francisco shippers involving the
same principle.
The suit begun by the Portland ship
pers against the Hartman lines has
been set for hearing in Seattle, but a
request will be made by the commission
| to transfer the case to Portland fol-
| greater convenience.
Request Opposed
The request of ]. N. Teal, attorney
| for the Portland shippers, that the
Portland case be heard in that city, wa.
| opposed by the Hartman attorneys
The commission ruled that the hearing
should be held here,
A representative of the Astoria, Ore.
chambr of commerce asked permission
| to present an argument in favor oi
| compelling the railroads to grant AS
toria the same rates as other coast
terminal cities. He was informed that
| the commission would consider petit
| tion.
The case of the Humboldt Steamship
company against the White Pass &
| Yukon railroad was taken up. The
| steamship company asks the commits
sion to compel the railroad to estab-
| lish a through rate between Seattle
| and points on the railroad. The CON-
| plant alleges discrimination for the
| Alaska steamship company, and the
Pacific Coast Steamship company. The
railroad today denied the commission s
| Jurisdiction. The commission over
ruled the objections and the hearing
was begun.
The Seattle and Portland case Will
be taken up Saturday.
Was Chased Out
Max Kalisch, managing director OF
| the Humboldt Steamship company
I testified that his line had virtually
been driven out of the through busi-
ness by the combination formed against
him, composed of the White Pass rail-
road and connections, and the Pacific
| Coast Steamship company and the
Alaska Steamship company. He contin-
| ued:
"While I was operating in connection
with the Pacific Coast Steamship com
pany, J. H. Rogers, a traffic official OF
| the White Pass, and H H. Bunch, gen.
eral freight and passenger agent for the
| Alaska Steamship company, came tc
me in San Francisco and asked me tc
leave the Pacific coast concern and
go in with them on deal which was
manifestly hostile to the Pacific Coast
IT was well pleased with the treat
ment afforded me by the Pacific Coast
people, and declined to throw them
down."
Virtually every member of the COM
mission asked Kalisch questions and
the members of the body appeared to
take the deepest interest in his story