Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
IOWA TO BEGIN
INDEPENDENT
RAILROAD SUIT.

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SHAM WIRES 7YERs AND RAIL
ROAD COMMISSION HE CANNOT
AMEND INJUNCTION.
Chicago, juno 3-At least $780,
100000 tho American railroads
had tentatively arranged to spend
In replacements 40 result OF the
increased revenue from advance
| in freight rates they had expect
ed, must now be used to stave of
ruin, according to statement
made by SIason Thompson OF the
railway news bureau hero today.
! Des Moines. June Especially -
Attorney General Byers and the state
board Of railroad commissioners re
ceived a telegram from Attorney Gen.
eral Wickersham today in which he
turns down their request to amend his
injunction proceedings in the federal
court against the western railroads to
prevent them from advancing rates.
Wickersham says: "The difficulty Ia
that certificates under the expedition
act have been filed, application for q
further injunction must be made to al
least three circuit judges and think
it is not expedient to make that appli.
cation now" AS a result Of the refusal
Of Wickersham, the attorney general
and railroad commissioners will 60 II
alone and bring an independent action
to prevent the railroads from raising
the rate in Iowa They have not yet
determined what action will be com.
menced
The Telegram to Wickershan1.
Chairman David J. Palmer and his
two associates. Messrs. Eston and
EKetchum. on the board of Iowa rail-
road commissioners, and Attorney
General Byers today sent telegram
to Attorney General Wickersham ask
ing him to include all Iowa points II
his suit to restrain the railroads from
putting into effect the higher freight
rates, as we'll as tho Missouri -yixsa
points.
Il Roads Hold Up improvements.
New York, June 3.--The New Yorl
Central has decided to suspend
$5,0O0.0O0 project for improving It'll
system and has requested the can
collation. Of $3,O0O,0O0 order for carl
on account Of the injunction granted
to the attorney general by Judge Dyer
in Missouri restraining railroads from
increasing their rates.
In making this announcement last
night President Brown OF the New
! York Central lines declared that, hii
road was unable to go ahead with fti
plans until there was some settle
ment of the suit filed by the govern
ment, because he believed that thu
credit of American railways had beer
almost totally destroyed by this move
against them.
The request for the cancellation Of
| the order, which called for 1900
| freight cars at the rate Of about 81, ,0OG
apiece, was received in Pittsburg late
yesterday. It was sent by President
Brown to three concerns, the Pressed
Steel Car company, the Standard
Steel Car company, and the American
Car and Foundry company. The order
had been sent In some time before
the suit in Hannibal, Mo-, was
| instituted.
Not Sure 1t viii Be Granted.
The New York Central doesn't seem
to be sure that its request will be
granted, but 1t Is banking apparently
on TIE hope that the steel companies
will Appreciate the position In which
| the railroads find themselves.
In regard to the improvements for
which $5,000,000 already has been ap.
propriated, the Central Is waiting un.
| til such time as it's officers feel that
they are justified in going on with the
project that has been outlined. Some
Of this work has to do with bettering
| the conditions Of the present stations
or building new ones. The laying OF
many additional tracks also had been
decided upon, and this, too, will have
to wait. Other improvements had to
do with railroad yards and some work
| upon roadbeds.
Fears Credit Totally Gone.
"The credit Of railroads In this
| country" he said, already has been
so badly shattered by the attacks that
have been made upon them In the
past in Washington that believe 1t
has been almost totally destroyed by
this action. It will be almost i'm.
possible, in my opinion, for any rail-
| roads to secure loan either here or
abroad.
mot long ago the New York Gen.
tral was able to sell in France
$4,000, 1000 worth of bonds. Even then
conditions were such that 1t was
necessary to cut them up into multi
! Piles Of 500 each in order to dispose
of them. They were sold at 88h cents
on the dollar.
"Dificult as was the situation at
that time am convinced that this ac-
ton has made it infinitely worse. 1t
is my absolute opinion that railroad
could not today dispose of its bonds In
France at any price that would be
/ profitable to it.
'tThe rate would necessarily be so
low at the present time that we could
not afford to sell bonds there at all.
And doubt much whether any deal
i whatever could be consummated