New-York tribune., 1910-09-10
TRY HARD TO GET RECORDS.
Lawyers for Shippers Press for
Facts on Railway Earnings.
CENTRAL'S OFFER APPROVED
Counsel Says It Is Not Clear
What Shippers Want-One
Admission on Increase.

There was long but fruitless struggle
yesterday on the part of counsei for 'he
shipping interests TO compel the repre-
sentatives of the railroads to submit rec
ords of facts before the Interstate Com
nrcrce Commission at the Waldorf. that'
as lawyer put il, VIII lead 10 1alr
and intelligent consideration of this great
problem''-tilat of the increase of fre1sot
rates Frank Lyon, counsel for the com
mission said that as the burden of proof
was on the railroads to show the reason
ahleness of the higher rates, the roads
should be permitted to present the case in
the way they thought best.
The examiners at the hearing. Mr.. Brown
and Mr.. Hilver. made no answer to the
efforts 10 compel speed and accuracy OF
evidence They hastened the giving Of tes-
timony instead. Louis r. Brandeis. coun-
sci for the Seaboard Shipping Association,
asked George NJ. Glazier. auditor of the
Lake Shore e. Michigan Southern. the Chi
cago Indiana & Southern and other roads
of the Lake Shore system. to furnish cost
Y I,rices OF materials bought by the roads
and the increase in passenger traffic and
other information bearing on the making
of the tariff rate: bat there was no an
swer.
rs If not a fact" Mr Brandeis contin-
ued, that the net earnings Of the Lake
Shore read for 1909 were a per cent of the
capital stock. including dividend of l.
per cent ??
Mr. GlaZer said that he did not know.
F;x-Judee William H. Wadhams. counsel
for the packing and shipping interests OF
the New York Produce Exchange. asked
IF oct
ting the result of the wage increase. He
had said that the increase amounted To
more than 81 600GHa The examiner. Mr..
Brown. made an objection, and Mr.. Wad-
hams said;
Each road seems to have followed a
different method in computing increased
revenue. We want the exact facts brought
out on an intelligent basis; and when we
trv to find the facts. there should be no
attempt made to cloud the issue"
Clyde Brown, of counsel for the New
York Central. said ir answer that if the
counsel for the shipping interests would
make it clear what was wanted the roads
would try to comply with the request. He
said they wanted to present everything
that would aid the commission to a clear
understanding of the situation. He de-
could say that statements affecting ton
mage and revenue could be made. but just
when could not be said, 1t would he As
soon as possible
That is satisfactory said the examiner,
Mr.. Brown. But it did rot seem satisfac-
torv to the counsel for the shipping inter
ests The counsel for the railroads had
rrepared a question which each asked OF
every financial representative put on the
stand It was:
Have YOU caused TO be prepared a, state
ment showing what the gross revenue
would have been in 1909 if the rates in
question in this proceeding had then been
in force"
A long procession of auditors. heads Of
DEPARTMENTS that had to do with some
financial feature of the roads. gave the
a affirmative answer to the question in auto
matte fashion.
The Wabash Railroad. through Edward
2. Pryor, the vice president, gave pretty
complete account of the financial affairs
of that line. although especial stress was
laid upon the wage increase. Before an
objection could be made Mr.. Pryor an
swered the following question, put by H.
c. Barlow, traffic manager of the Chicago
Association of Commerce:
Isn't it a fact that large part of the
increase in wages is due to increase of
business OF the Wabash road?"
Yes Nj. Pryor said.
The hea ring will continue to-day.