The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-09-28

cured business for California from as
far east as Buffalo and Pittsburg, and
he had also gotten 1900 tons of starch a
year from as far west as Chicago This,
ne said, was carried by rail TO the At
lantic seSbOard and then by water to Cal
weston and by rail to San Francisco.
H. A. Jones, traffic manager for the
Southern Pacific, was called for more
testimony regarding the probable effect
Of applying terminal rates to business in
the intermoUntain region. He estimated
that the loss to the Southern Pacific
would be approximately S4,50t009 year
if the road carried freight from New York
TO Utah as cheaply as they would carry
it through Utah to the Pacific coast.
Merely supposition.
Mr.. Jones said. the present rates
seemed to him to be very fair and just,
''inasmuch as they gave the lntermoun-
tain country the benefit of water cOmpe-
tition." He was asked regarding the old
rate of S1.12la on oranges from California
to Salt Lake, which had been advanced
to s1.15 when the rate from California 70
New York had been reduced to Sll5- Mr..
Jones said if the railroads granted the
Utah petition and gave a lower rate on
oranges than the rate through to New
York it would make necessary reduc-
tons all the way to New York ana the
business could not be handled. COmmlS-
siOner Clark asked him just how re-
ductiOn for Salt Lake would result In
other reductions, and Mr.. Jones said ne
want corresponding reductions.
Mr.. BabcOck asked Mr.. Jones II ne be.
lieved the 212 cents advance in the freignt
rate on oranges from California to SAT-
Lake was absolutely necessary to the
financial prosperity of the Southern IA
cific railroad, and Mr.. Jones did not
think that was the case.
In answer TO questions, Mr.. Jones sald
that in estimating the 81, 10000 loss to the
railroads if terminal rates were given
he had not taken into consid eraUon the
increase in business that would result
from the reduction and he had not con
sidered the lower cost Of the service per-
formed by the railroads. MI Jones sald
he doubted if the reduction asked for
would be of any benefit to the inter
mountain country.
Utah Shippers Threatened.
J. A. Munroe, general freight agent for
the Southern Pacific, was called to the
stand again and he presented statements
estimating that the revenue of the rail-
roads would be increased nearly 20 per
cent if the rates asked for in the Utah
petition were granted. He said he be-
iieyed the prosperity of Utah depended on
agriculture mostly and the exports were
of more importance than the imports. He
cited the rates made on potatoes from
southern Idaho to points in the south and
east which were only slightly higher than
those from the Greedy. Colo, district.
This was accompanied by a threat that
if the Utah petition was granted regard
ing rates, the commodity rate on potatoes
would be advanced from Utah to mile
age basis.
Hoped 1t Would Not Be Necessary.
you don't know of any appeal that we
have made for higher rates in our petit
ton, to yOu?" asked Mr.. BabcOck. You
wouldn't advance the rate on potatoes
from Idaho to a point where 1t would
kill the business or to point above
which they could be grown and shipped
at a profit. would your continued Mr..
Babcock I'VE hope that will not be
necessary was the reply
you people seem to be playing a game
of Heads we win and tails you lose with
the railroads." said Mr.. Munroe. You
are playing that game with the shippers
all the time, are you nOt?' asked Mr..
Babcock Here Commissioner Clark SAID
the discussion was only taking up val
able time.
Statements were introduced to show
that the application of terminal rates to
Idaho common points for October. 1893,
would have resulted in saving to the
shippers Of 1877 per cent, and for April,
1863, Of 14.2 per cent.
No Bearing on the Case.
J. A. Reeves. general freight agent for
the oregon Short Line, introduced a mass
of tabulated statements showing the class
rates from the east to points in the inter-
mountain country to show the favorable
basis for distributing rates for Salt Lake.
This, however, was withdrawn. Tables
showing the growth of freight business in
this region We're then introduced and Mr.
Reeves presented as evidence a list of
purchases made recently by the Utah
Light q Railway company. The Utah
representatives could not see the bearing
Of the purchases of supplies and materialS
for the street railway company on the
case before the commission. well. let
them offer it" said Commissioner Clark.
1T may help to make you all feel better
The railroads also presented a tabulated
list of Salt Lake bank elearings to show
now the freight rates had made Salt Lake
prosper. These were followed by state
ments showing the receipts of the Salt
Lake postoffice
This shows that you can't keep a good
town down with your bad fFeights" SAID
Mr. BabcOck. I'VE have no objection to
their being introduced in the evidence"
r1fraa. Chi IL.