The Irish standard., 1909-03-20
HITS At HARTMAN
Rail Combine Bad Declares a
Federal Witness.
COMPETITION AT AN END
Hearing Of Testimony to Dissolve
Merger of Union and Southern Pa
cific Lines Develops Important Evil
dence for the Government.

Chicago, Mar TIN a courtroom
crowded to the walls with railroad ex-
ecutives, traffic directors Of industrial
ing evidence in the government suit
against E. H. Hartman and his asso-
ciates, to dissolve what former Attor-
ney General Bonaparte described as "a
substantial monopoly of the transport
tation business of the country between
the Missouri river and the Pacific
coast" began yesterday before Special
Examiner Sylvester G. Williams.
The testimony offered by the wit
nesses called yesterday by c. A. Sew
erence, special assistant to the attor-
ney general, who is prosecuting the
case for the government, disclosed the
fact that the amalgamation of the Of
fees Of the Southern Pacific and Union
Pacific railroads resulted in a change,
which eliminated much of what, under
separate control, was keen and active
competition.
The first witness to take the stand
was J. A. Wentz, retired railroad
man. Attorney Severance qualified
the witness by asking him to relate
his railroad experience, which ex-
tended over long period of years.
Wentz Tells Of Former Competition.
Mr.. Wentz at one time was in the
employ Of the Chicago, Rock Island &
Pacific railroad, as commercial agent
both at Chicago and Kansas City. He
testified that prior to 1901, when it
is alleged Mr.. Hartman and his asso-
ciates formed the western railroad
combination in violation of the Sher-
man antitrust law, competition among
western lines was free. But, following
the placing of the Union Pacific and
the Southern Pacific roads under one
control, great deal of such competi-
ton was eliminated.
Attorney Severance conducted the
examination of Mr.. Wentz for the
government. Judge r. G. Lovett ap-
peared as counsel for the Union Paci-
f1c and the other defendants named in
the dissolution suit.
while you were in the employ Of
the Rock Island road did you solicit
Pacific coast business, Mr.. Wentz?"
questioned Attorney Severance.
eyes," replied the witness. Prior
to the time the Rock Island completed
it's extensions west from the Missouri
river we did all our business over the
Union Pacific and the Great Northern.
We attempted to obtain long hauls by
way of Ell Paso, but we were obliged
to give up to the Union Pacific and
often to the Atohison, Topeka & San
tn Fe road"
Says Offices Were Consolidated.
w. g. Neimyer was shown to be in
charge Of the Southern Pacific office
at that time in Chicago and w. H.
knight, at the head of the soliciting
force of the Union Pacific road in this
city. and the so-ealled Chicago terri
tory.
How was competition between the
Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific
at that time?" asked Attorney Sever
ence.-
There was a. great deal Of compe-
tition. thought. I know the Rock
Island felt the effects of it" Mr.. Wentz
replied, confidently.
The witness was then taken by
Judge Lovett, counsel for the defense,
and while he was closely cross.exam-
ined, he did not in the least qualify his
statements relative to the doing away
of competition as result of the dis
continuance of the separate agencies
of the Union and Southern Pacific
1inea