New-York tribune., 1910-09-03
LIE PASSED AT HEARING.
Rock island Attorney Resents
Intimation of ConCealment.
WABASH OFFICIAL ON STAND
Road in Need of Many Improve
ments with Growing Cost
of Operation.

c-,;cago Sent Frequent clashes De-
+ra.n ATTORNEYS for the railroads and those
for the shippers marked to-day's hearings
before the examiners for the Interstate
Commerce Commission over the proposed
advance of freight rates on certain COM
,,,odi,ies = Peirce, of the Rock Island
Railway. called F r. James, attorney for
a srorp of shippers, a liar in resenuhg
q srreestion that statistics had been omit
TED bv .he controller of the road for an
ulterior purpose
The Rock Island company's presentation
of its reasons for desiring the increased
rates was completed. and the wabash fall-
road started its evidence, introducing tesu-
rnonv that the operating expenses had IN
cres sed and that greater returns for maui
ing freight were needed.
Al the close Of the testimony Of Con-
troIIer MAY, of the Rock Island Railway
Henry Miller. vice-presdent and general
manager of the Wabash Railroad Company,
was called and examined by n. s. Brown.
counsel for the road.
BEFORE offering in evidence a number OF
-abulated statistics Mr.. Miller testified that
the revenues have not enabled the man
agement to operate and maintain the roao
I'D TO the needs of the public nor to Install
improvements which were desired.
1.-The income of the road he said en-
abIes us to care for the maintenance or the
nresent trackage. buildings and equipment
hut leaves practically nothing for rePiac-
ing equipment or structures and pracucally
nothing for improvement
Mr.. Miller. speaking of the period since
1905 said:
'eTn this time about hundred locomotives
have been sent to the scrap heap and we
have replaced one hundred and fifty, There
has been no new freight equipment since
1917. and no passenger cars have been add
ed to the rolling stock since 1901
In response TO question. Mr. Miller SAID
Among the improvements which we would
filxe 70 make. and which are necessary. AZ a = =
the replacement of wooden freight cars anu anu
inst aIling additional S1gnallnS dl,bdi d - -.
We also need second tTackage from p
louis 70 Detroit, from St. Louis 70 Ch1-
cago and from St. Louis 10 Kansas ~ %
the traffic now exceeds what can be ecu
nonically operated on single track
Roth operating revenue and operating
exnenses have increased" Mr.. Miller said.
The aperating expenses have remained
about constant until this year, and have
NOW crown out of all proportion
Among the items Of increased expense
enumerated bv Mr. Miller were wages OF
eroploves. which. according to tables pre-
scented nv him. increased for the TansPor-
+a-,o, and maintenance of way department
q 6a2 Ona in 1910 over the amount paid in
1909 For the locomotive and car depart
n7ent employees the increase from 1903 to
1910 was $685., 165-
Wage increases allowed since June this
wear Mr.. Miller said. will amount to
100000 a year. and the enginemen nave
asked for 100000 a year more. and con-
ductors and brakemen and shopmen are
now considering what their demands for
more wages will be"
Another item of expense to the road, the
witness said, was the increased damage TO
ro11iog stock through careless handling of
cars equipped with automatic couplers-
This rough handling is in disobedience
of the rules of the road, but there seems
| TO be no way to stop it," Mr. Miller SAID.
| I'VE estimate that the damage to equip
ment together with the cost of installing
! safety appliances from 1904 TO 1910, VIII
| amount to more than s320,5Oo The hours
| of service and the full crew laws have also
| added to the expense of operating the rail-
road
| on cross-examination Mr.. Miller said the
| road had been economically operated.
With the increased rates proposed the
road would earn about $4,000 a year more
| than il is now earning, but that would not
| be sufficient to supply the needs and would
be only drop in the bucket" he said.
Other witnesses for the Wabash Railroad
will take the stand to-morrOw, and the
| hearing probably will be adjourned for sew
eraI weeks to permit the examiners to take
up the New York hearing of the conten-
tions of the railroads in the Official Classi-
| fcation territory, which is set for Septem-
| her