Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-01-20
FORLOWERRATFS
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS ARE
HOLDING RATE HEARING
AT LENNON
SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
The Commissioners Supplementary
Report Covering Work Since
Close of Fiscal Year
Issued Soon

Pierre-Representat Tscharner Of
Lennon left for his home to appear
before the board of railroad commits
sioners which will meet in adjourned
session in that city.
Some time ago the board of rail-
road commissioners received COM
plants from the citizens Of Belle
Fourche and vicinity, Rapid City and
vicinity and from Lennon and Per-
kins county, attacking the class ans
commodity rates obtaining west of
the river. The first hearing was
held in Lennon on December 20
last year, and by joint request, the
meeting was adjourned until today.
Aberdeen on December 81 1910,
and the third at Rapid City on
December %.
In the meantime Mr. Tscharner.
who had presented the case of Lem
mon to the commissioners, received
telegram, signed by over a hum
dred business men and prominent
to withdraw their complaints filed
with the commission. Mr.. Tscharner
could not understand the change in
sentiment that had overcome his
town and refused to withdraw the
complaint. He did, however, file the
telegram with the commissioners.
Whether or not the railroads have
been "busy" in Lennon is a matter
of conjecture. The fact remains that
something has changed the senti-
ment of the people there and Mr..
Tscharner, like the proverbial man
from Missouri" has to be shown. In
any event he is determined to fight
the case alone and awaken his fellow
citizens. The final hearing of the
10 L., hi nj Nv
on the 18th and 18th of this month
when the matter will be settled and
a schedule promulgated in accord
ance with the evidence submitted.
Commissioners Report.
The railroad commissioners sum-
married. supplementary report cover
ing the work of the board since the
annual report, ending with the fiscal
year of 1910, is now in the hands of
the printers 1t deals with the hear
ing and taking Of testimony in the
passenger rate case in Chicago last
July and the hearing before Mackley
o. the interstate commerce, commits
sion in Sioux City which was ad-
journed and resumed in Chicago on
October gath. The date fixed for the
oral argument before the commits
sion have not been fixed.
The report is very complete in de-
tail. citing fifteen complaints on ex-
cessive rates; five on passenger and
train service; three on flag stations
and fourteen on car shortages. Six
teen complaints arecite on the lack
of station facilities; nine on tracks
and grade crossings; two on refusal
to handle arloads of freight and i'm
proper classification and number
on losses, shortages, etc.
The wrecks and derailments re-
ported total 119, in which SO per-
sons were killed and 686 injured.
The damage and losses resulting
from these disasters is placed at
$52985.92.
The telephone report reveals nine
teen complaints on rates. The Da-
kota Central Telephone company
asks the privileges of increasing
rates in Tyndall, Summit, Waubay,
Mellette. Aberdeen, and Huron. The
cases have been set for hearing.
The report states that under ex-
listing conditions, the commission IS
handicapped in fixing telephone
charges, owing to the fact that it Is
difficult to arrive at the valuation OF
the companies. Relief is asked of
the legislature from this condition
and the attorney for the board is
now drawing up bills following out
the recommendations of the commls-
sion.