The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-11-06

"The purpose of the proceeding is
to secure not only for Reno, but for
Winnemucca and all Nevada points,
along the main line Of the Central Pa
cifc railroad in Nevada, what are
known as "terminal rates''-that il,
the same rates as are applied at San
Francisco and Sacramento. For many
years, in fact for nearly the whole
period Of its existence, it has been the
custom of the railroad to charge on
freight from points east Of Ogden to
points in Nevada, the same rates as if
the freight had actually been hauled
over the mountains to Sacramento and
then back over the mountains again
to the Nevada point of destination. For
a number of years, the freight was
actually so hauled, involving the Me-
vada consignee in not merely the add
ed freight charge, but the very CON
siderable loss of time resulting from
the unnecessary haul. Later this Gus
tom was changed and the freight was
dropped off at the Nevada point Of
destination, but, the charge remained
as before. This course has always
been defended by the railroad COM
pany by the plea that at the coast
cities the railroad was met by sea com
petition, which forced down the rates
there to such an extent that they were
not fairly renumerative; that at the in
terror points this sea competition did
not exist and that consequently the
railroad was justified in imposing
higher charges at the interior points
such as Reno.
Our people have always felt that
these changes were unjust, but it was
never possible to bring them together
in a strong, concerted effort to OBJ
tain relief. In July of last year the
railroad commission of this state took
the matter up and filed with the inter
state commission a formal
complaint against these excessive
charges, and asking that the SO calle'l
.sterminal rates. be applied at Reno
and other Nevada points. That it may
be understood in a general way just
what our grievance is l will take a
simple example. The through rate 20
Sacramento from the East on first
class goods is So and to Reno the
charge is the Sacramento through rate,
plus the local charge of $1.29 from
Sacramento to Reno, making $4-29 as
the total charge at Reno against SO at
Sacramento. This fairly illustrates the
situation with respect to all the class,
and most of the special commodity
rates. To break down this system of
charging, the present proceeding was
brought.
On the 30, 80 and 81 of last March
the first hearing of the case was had
at Reno before Mr.. Examiner Lyon.
At that time we practically made our
case. The evidence offered by the rail
road companies proved nothing ma
terial, and failed utterly to break the
force of the testimony introduced by
the commission. This in brief was as
follows: First, the evidence of State
Engineer Nicholas showing the grades
of the Central Pacific railroad, and tie
enormous expense of constructing the
road wei the lofty Sierra Nevada
range, compared with the cost of con-
struction ON the comparatively level
country east of Reno. Second, the
compilations Of f. H. McCune, showing
the rate differentials complained OF,
with q fullness and clearness never be
fore equaled in such a proceeding.
Third, the testimony Of Mr.. Eisfeldt,
an employ of the custom house at San
Francisco, showing that the actual
freight tonnage by water was only
about one-third as much as the estimate
given in the Spokane case. Fourth, the
testimony of Secretary Walker, show
ing the gross earnings, profits and divi-
dends of the Southern Pacific company,
together with the fact that the CEN
many named. also controls the Pacifc
Mail Steamship line, plying between
Panama and San Francisco. Fifth, the
M rAnD