Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-28
JOBBERS HOPE
FOR VICTORY
EXPECT TO WIN SWITCHING
RATE CASES
COMMISSIONS FIGURES DIFFER
FROM RAILROADS
Road Attorneys Make Unsuccessful
Attempts to Learn Names OF EN-
ployes Giving Inspectors
information

decision in the switching rate
cases brought against the railroads py
tho Associated Jobbers of Los Ange-
les is expected in September from '1 It
interstate commerce commlssloh' II
will also determine the San Francisco
cases brought on the same nnes py
the Pacific Coast Jobebrs ASSOCIATION
1--WE feel that the outlook is very
favorable for a decision in favor OF
the Associated Jobbers,' SAID r. +.
C,regson. the organizations tranlc
,,,anso,ar who returned from San
Francisco Yesterday. THE matter VIII
be wound up by a final hearing IN Los
Angeles Nav IA, and we believe the
outcome will justify us in bringing the
complaint before the commission.
The hearing at San Francisco occu-
pied three days, and unexpectedly
strengthened the contention of the AS
sociated Jobbers through testimony
before the examiner, j. ID. Lederman'
nv INSPECTORS of the commission. Inc
insnectors George B. Winters ana
Frank McManamy, made an inVestlga-
ton of which the compliments ana lhe
railroads knew nothing. They Walcneu
the situation closely at Los Ais o, fo9
and under pretense OF examining sale
tv appliances on the engines made up
a record of switching to industry
tracks. The figures they presented
were considerably at variance WIN
those offered by the railroads IN the
hearing before Commissioner Lane az
Los Angeles, and on that account mace
stronger the case of the complain
ants.
The inspectors obtained confirmatory
information from local employees OF
the railroads, and when this TACT was
developed in the testimony the attor-
news for the roads made strong AT
tempts to find out the names OF the
employees who answered the inspectors
queries, but the latter fatty refused
to give them ,,
81 decline to answer" said Mr. Nc
Manany when the Southern Pacific at
tornev asked who the employees were
who gave information. THE employees
might possibly be subjected to dlscip-
line and perhaps to discharge.
Twill you take my, assurance t da
these employees will not be dis-
charged?" asked ]. w. Durbrow, the
Southern Pacific attorney.
sI will not" said McManamy, en-
phatically.
Twill you take the assurance of the
general superintendent"
81 might possibly take his assurance
but l would not divulge the names.
what were their occupations?
THAT would be equivalent to giving
names: 1 decline to answer"
'Why did you make your inVestlga-
tion in secret?" asked Mr.. Durbrow.
arr YOU had informed the officials OF
the company they would have willingly
supplied the information"
because there might possibly be an
inclination on the part of the officials
to have the situation conform to their
statements"
E. E. Camp, representing the Santa
Fe railroad, also made an effort to
obtain the names of employees OF ms
company who gave information, but
the inspectors refused to disclose
them. 800.
An important feature of the testi-
mony of the inspectors, as result or
the Investigations in the Southern Pa
cific. Salt Lake and Santa Fe yards at
Los Angeles was the showing made
that the railroads are not put to any
more expense in giving service to spur
tracks than to the carriers ware
houses or the wagon tracks where
there is no switching charge. The in
spectors are men of continued prac-
teal experience in railroad yards and
their computations cover every phase
of handling cars.
The testimony to be taken at Los
Angeles next month will be largely
confirmatory of that which was heard
before Commissioner Lane. The hear
ing will be conducted in the supreme
court rooms in the Billiard block. Both
the Los Angeles and San Francisco
complaints have been merged and will
be covered by one decision of the in
terstate commerce commission next
September.