The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-23
Probing of the Complaint of
the Local Traffic Bureau
Against the Railroads Is Be
ing Held in Salt Lake.
TRAFFIC LINES SHOW THE
DEFENSE THEY WILL MAKE
Water Competition and Rea-
SonabIe Return on Invest
ment viii Be Principal Point
Railroads VIII Urge,
MUCH TESTIMONY IS HEARD

Testimony before the interstate
commerce commission yesterday was
of a general nature, only the fOunda-
ton being laid for the case to be pre-
scented by the shippers of Utah
against the railroads.
So far as the proceedings for the
first day were carried, it appeared
that the principal defense of the rail
roads for what the shippers of Utah
IT gard as unjust discrimination
in freight rates will be water
competition reasonable returns on
capital" and the contention that any
reduction for Utah would mean cor
responding reduction to all other
points.
The railroads will present evidence
to show that earnings of the Harri-
man line are s per cent on the en-
tire stock and bond capitalization.
In an effort to prove that discrim-
ination is being used by the railroads
against Salt Lake and other Utah
points in the rates established on the
roads touching this region, Attorney c.
e. Dey. counsel for the traffic bureau
of the salt Lake Commercial club, and
5. Il. Babcock. commissioner of the
traffic bureau, had prominent officials
of several railroads on the stand for
over four hours Wednesday, at the
opening session in the Salt Lakes rate
hearing before the members of the in
terstate commerce commission.
G. A. PTOuty and +. +. Clark, mem
bers of the interstate commerce com
mission, who are hearing the rate case
of the Utah shippers against the rail-
roads, started their work promptly at
10 o'clock Wednesday morning at the
room of the United States circuit court
in the federal building. and with little
over an hours recess for lunch, sat I'M
til shortly before o'clock last even
ing. Five witnesses were presented
during the day by Attorney Dey and
Commissioner Babcock of the traffic bu-
reau, two Of these being representa-
tives Of hardware firms in Salt Lake
and ogden, and the remaining three
the representatives of railroads which
traverse this state. In reply to a ques-
ton from Commissioner PrOuty at the
tOTney Dey said the traffic bureau
should complete the presentation of its
testimony by this evening. c. F. Dill
lard, the interstate commerce attorney
for the Union Pacific road. who took the
leading part in the crOss-examinatiOn
of the witnesses at the opening session,
and who, i'm fact, will take the lead for
the railroads during the hearing, said
the railroads would attempt to present
their testimony inside of two days by
massing their evidence to as great a
degree as possible. He said, however,
that this might not be accomplished,
leaving the impression that the hearing
might extend over into next week.
Munroe on the Stand.
Most of the time at Wednesdays ses-
sions was taken up in the hear
ing of the testimony of j. A
Munroe Of Omaha, freight traffic man
8ger FOR the Union Pacific, who was on
the stand over an hour at the morning
session and for a large portion Of the
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