The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-02-02

SECRETS
PROBED.
CORPORATION 30 RID
STILL PURSUING SEARCH
ING INQUIRY
REDUCED FREIGHT RATE
BONE OF CONTENTION
Testimony Introduced 10 Show
That Consumer Derives
Direct Benefit

AFTER conducting three days probe
into the lumber business to ascertain
who is getting the benefit or the re-
duced freight affecting inIrastate
shipments OF that commodity. the cor
poratlon commission last evening dis
missed all witnesses for the present
and today commenced introducing ev.
idence TO show the reasonableness OF
the rate. The states experts have
been busy for some time collecting
much valuable data and rate compar-
isons sustaining their contentious
that the Oklahoma rate is more re-
mnnerative than the rate voluntarily
put into effect by the railroads In
other states and are almost twice as
high a ton per train mile as the In
terstate rate from points outside the
state into oklahoma. The introduce
ton Of evidence by the states ex-
perts and the cross-examination of
them by the railroad attorneys will
take up several days time as the case
will be hard fought, there being sew
eral million dollars involved.
Net Results OF Probe.
The commission has been able to
secure much valuable information
from The grlllng OF The lumber man.
"facturers and retail dealers here
this week which will be beneficial In
the rate case and be n basis for
further probe at later date into the
alleged lumber combine
Tho autJnnpn talra.. IicpInua, thu
following facts:
That the Oklahoma lumber manu-
facturers are thriving under the new
rate order and are making big profits
on their investments.
That under the present rates even
the smallest independent Oklahoma
manufactures Is able 10 undersell the
Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas com
panies even though It cost 50 thou
sand feet more TO manufacture ium-
ber In Oklahoma than in the states
named
That many new saw mills have
been started since the new rates
went into effect
That If the old rates. which would
double the present rate from the
timber section to Western Oklahoma
points, were put back into effect not
only would the Oklahoma manufac.
turers be unable TO compete with
outside lumber dealers, but II would
force many small mills to close down.
That the lumber consumers OF the
state have been benefited by the re.
duced rate to the extent OF hundreds
OF thousands OF dollars during the
year the new rates have been In eff
feet, the consumer receiving a direct
benefit by the Oklahoma manufactnr-
| or giving the retail dealer the bene.
III OF the rate reduction. which TO
some points In Western Oklahoma
amounts TO ST. a thousand feet, and
an Indirect benefit by reason OF the
alleged lumber combine lowering
their market price OF lumber in Ok
ahoma 10 meet he oklahoma com
petition.
Some Mills Lose Money.
r. J. Baschow of Kansas City
representing a Kansas City concern
which operate three mills In Ii
Flore and Choctaw counties, testified
last evening that his company had
lost money In Oklahoma last yeal
because of expensive litigation will
timber claimants.
Senator w p. Stewart OF Hugo
who IL the leading attorney for th'
lumber companies operating In South
eastern Oklahoma, testified that th'
lumber companies were put to biz
cost In defending titles 10 tlmbe
tracts. buying OFF adverse elaimanti
and having contracts for tracts own
ed by Indians and minors approves
IN courts. He also stated that III
government suits against the lumber
men had cost them vast sums 0
, money. A 0. Hevens, who Is inter
asiei In Oklahoma aud Loulsian
. mIlls. declared that Oklahopa labo
cost ~ per cent more man In Lopli
lana. y4SslHw hEd ~ ~ te.e
|, Big Saving to Consumers.
g. G. Boswell who nDerafes tw
! small mills Ut Boswell. Okla. testifie
that under the commissions reduce
rate he was able 10 sell oak Iumbe
I to the consumer IN Western Oklaht
ma from 81 to $6 less per thousan
! feet than under the old rates. II
also testified that the farmers |
= Western Oklahoma were now pili
! chasing fence posts n. half The pric
:. paid year ago as the result OF tn
!. new rate IL also declared that h
: s selling .a.ee as much lumber z.
!. five times as many posts now tina
\ when the old rates were In effec
He declared that II the old rates wef