Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-01
Discrimination
IN RATES PROVED
Los Angeles Sums Up Case in
Fight for Readiustment
of R. R. Charges
BELIEVE VICTORY IN SIGHT
Favoritism Helps San Francisco
Jobbers Grab San Joaquin
Valley Trade
BELIEVE VICTORY IN SIGHT


From the evidence submitted and ar
guments made by attorneys represent
ing Los Angeles in the rate case hear
ing before the state railroad commits
sion. it appears almost certain that the
request Of Los Angeles for readJust-
ment of freight rates from this city to
San Joaquin valley points will be
granted The members Of the commits
sion are II. d. Loveland, A. G. Irwin
and Theo. Summerland.
Edward X Kuster, one of the at
torneys representing Los Angeles, ar
gued before the commission yesterday
at the hearing in the Bullard block,
and pointed out that the railroads have
not set forth any legitimate reason for
the preference given San Francisco in
rates to the San Joaquin valley. He
further SHgued that San Francisco, as
an intervenor, has not made good Its
assertion that Los Angeles should be
forced to pay higher rates because of
the haul over the Tehachapi mountains.
Attorney Kuster Informed the commits
sion that the cost of San Francisco
terminal charges and getting across
San Francisco bay more than offsets
any excess cost of hauling freight up
the Tehachapi mountains.
Attorney Kuster then cited state
ments made by Edward Chambers,
head of the freight traffic department
of the Santa Fe coast lines, In which
the latter stated that a readjustment
OF the Los Angeles rates was made
two years ago, this readjustment be-
ing considered by the railroads as fair
to San Francisco as well as Los Ange-
les. Mr.. Kuster argued that this state
ment led one to believe that previousu
to that time, Los Angeles did not have
fair rates.
MANY POINTS SCORED
Throughout yesterdays hearing the
attorneys for Los Angeles scored point
after point. The merchants and manu-
facturers of this county are determined
to fight for an equal share of the trade
that San Francisco is commanding in
"the valley of the sunny San joaquin"
due to So called discrimination In CIV
ing San Francisco lower RACES.
The evidence in the hearing was
brought to a close yesterday forenoon
when G.. w. Luce, general freight
agent of the Southern Pacific, was
placed on the stand by the attorneys
for the Southern Pacific to contradict
mileage figures given by +. P. Gregson,
representing the Associated Jobbers of
Los Angeles. Before the examination
of the witness had proceeded far 1t
was brought out that Mr.. Gregson had
testified to the actual freight mileage
charged, while Freight Agent Luce
wanted to give the figures according to
the short line passenger mileage from
San Francisco to Los Angeles via the
San Joaquin valley.
Representatives of San Francisco
and the Southern Pacific asked the
commissioners to fix the time to be al
lowed each person for argument. An
objection was made by Attorney Kus-
ter representing Los Angeles. He In
formed the commissioners that he
wanted sufficient time to fully argue
the case and to file briefs, which was
done in the switching case. When At
torneys Durbrow and Mann again ask
ed the commission to set limit on the
time for arguing, F. p. Gregson of
Los Angeles said:
FULL ARGUMENT SECURED
1--WE of Los Angeles are the ones who
are suffering from this case dragging,
and wish to speak from shippers
point of view. Whose fault is 1t that
this case has dragged SO long? For
years we tried to settle this contro-
versy, and when we brought about a
settlement, San Francisco objected.
After we brought this case San Fran
cisco interviewed and dragged out the
case.
at was understood at San Fran
cisco that Los Angeles was TO have
all the time necessary to close the
case here and insist on its full argu-
ment."
The attorneys for San Francisco and
Los Angeles then agreed to allow Los
Angeles to have all of yesterday after
noon for opening arguments and that
the railroads and intervenors should
have all of today.
Attorney Kuster then opened the ar
gument for Los Angeles and set forth
that when Los Angeles had obtained
an adjustment Of rates to the valley
two years ago, San Francisco shippers
used their influence with railroad Off
cials in the east, resulting in the new
rates being withdrawn.
Further arguments will be heard to-
day and it Is believed that the case
will be closed this afternoon. At the
end OF yesterday afternoons session,
the attorneys and shippers of Los An
geles were jubiliant, for Los Angeles
had presented strong evidence to sup
port every contention that this coun-
ty should be given lower rates to the
San Joaquin valley.