The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-06-01

braska, North Dakota, South Dakota.
Wyoming and parts Of Montana, Mich
igan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and
referring to the unlawful combina-
tons and conspiracy alleged the petit
ton says:
The maintenance OF the lines of rail-
road has been encouraged and assisted
by the United States of America and by
the states and territories, by fran
chises and by grants and donations of
large amounts Of land of great value
and of money and securities for the
purpose of securing to the public and
to the people engaged in trade ana
commerce throughout the United States,
competitive lines Of transportation ana
communication
but for the unlawful combination,
conspiracy, agreements ana under-
standings between the defendant rail-
roads, the defendants would have con-
tinued in the said interstate transpor-
tation trade and commerce in compeu-
ton with each other as to rates and
charges TO be collected for the inter
state transportation Of freight and pas
sengers and as to the facilities and ad-
vantages to be offered to the travelling
public and TO shippers Of commodities
i'm Interstate commerce and would now
be competing in said interstate trans
portatfon. trade and commerce.
The second part of the petition states
that on December s, 1906, the defend
ants with the exception OF i've roads
named below. not content with the
usual rates and charges, for which they
were accustomed to carry freight, but
intending to monopolize the transpor-
tation. traffic. trade and commerce. be-
tween the different states, did COM
bine, conspire, confederate and unlaw-
fully agree to organize and become
members in the Western Trunk Line
committee. with the object Of using
said Western Trunk Line committee
as means for suppressing all compe-
tition between said defendants, In the
faf o. Il a.
and commerce"
The petition then cites the St. Paul
and Des Moines railroad. the Fort
Dodge. the Des MOines and Southern
railroad. the Elgin. Joliet and Eastern
Railway company. the Chicago, Mil
waukee and Gary Railroad company
and the Minneapolis, st. Paul and
Sault Ste. Marie as later becoming
members of the Western Trunk Line
committee and parties to the unlawful
combination and conspiracy.
Continuing the petition says since
the date mentioned. the Western Trunk
Line committee. unincorporated, with
headquarters in Chicago. is the instru-
ment by means of which freight rates
have been fixed and that the charges
now being imposed are the same by all
the defendants and are so made by
agreement.
Methods of DefeudaSts.
The following is the method by
which the petition alleges rates are
IlAt0 Dg the " GSltAn NoiAA-
mittee:
zach of the defendants Is a member
of the Western Trunk Line committee.
There is a freight committee COM
posed of the freight traffic managers
or general freight agents OF each OF
the defendants. This committee meets
once every month. Whenever any de-
PENDANT contemplates a change in any
rates. rules or regulations. the Off
GER or officials representing such de-
PENDANT on such committee suggests
such change to the chairman of the
committee. who then dockets the same
for consideration and discussion at
the next meeting of the freight COM
mittee. At that meeting the matter is
brought up for consideration. II all
agree the proposed change IS made By
all the roads defendants hereein. I'm
less there is unanimous agreement the
suggestion is rejected and no road
adopts the proposed change Of rates "
The petition says there Is an agree
ment between the defendants to the ef-
feet that no rates will be advanced or
reduced except with the concurrence
of the entire body. with a simultaneous
advance or reduction by all the others
agreed upon at a meeting Of the freight
committee. Further IL is claimed by