The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-01
TWOREPQRTSON
COAL RATES BILL.
House Committee on Public
Utilities Is Divided on
Measure.
SENSATION IS SPRUNG
AT CLOSING SESSION
Majority and Minority Recon-
mendatiOn to Reach
SolOnS Today.

The committee on public utilities OF the
lower house OF the legislature will pre-
sent majority and minority reports today
on house bill No. j2s. by Mr.. Eardley,
Ax!ng maximum rates that may he
charged by railroads for the Transports
uon OF coal. The majority report Will be
signed by Allison. Pope, Nebeker, Ander-,
son and Spencer while the names OF
Wootton. Russell and Tobias will be ap-
pended TO the minority report Mr.. Funk,
the remaining member OF the committee,
was absent Tuesday and il is NOT known
10 which report lle viii attach his sigma
Iure.
The hnal hearing on the measure
opened before the committee at ?:So
o'clock Tuesday morning and continued
until noon
The feature Of the hearing was an at
tack made upon the Commercial CLUB
traffic bureau by Mr. Allison. of counsel
for the Denver g Rio GTande. Mr. Al
Ason declared that he had been told by
the president and secretary OF the Com
nlercial club. as we'll the former board
OF governors that the traffic bureau was
not child OF the Commercial club and
that the Commercial club repudiatcd It,
This statement was hotly resented by
Stephen IL. Love. who said that Mr. Al
iison S remarks were personal reelection
upon himself and othe" members OF the
traffic bureau.
Reiterates Statement
Well" replied Mr.. Allison, Il am only
repeating what was told TO me and
don't believe the gentlemen OF the Com
mercisl club will deny IT."
The Commercial club" interrupted Mr..
Love. has stood behind the traffic bureau
IN everything it has done and the mem
bers OF the club VIII tel! this committee
so il they are asked"
Mr. Allison also criticised Mr., Babcock
for what Mr. Allison termed Mr.. Bah
cocks hostility 10 the railroads. adding
that Mr. Babcock had discussed matters
that came under his observation when
he was an officer Of the road.
Mr. Bahcock replied that he had dis.
cussed these matters with Colonel Dodge
before accepting a place with the traf,
by Colonel Dodge TO go ahead. The COM
ulittee then advised Mr.. Baboock that II
was unable 10 sec that he had acted in
any way that mcrited censure.
Allison Discusses Bill.
Preceding the diversion caused by Mr..
bureau and Mr.. Babcock. Mr.. Allison had
begun his argument IN opposition TO the
bill. which, he said, might appropriately
be termed "ap act TO reduce the reve-
nues OF the Denver & Rio Grande." IS
II did not apply 10 any other railroad
Nr. Allison then declared that the road
statement showing decreased earnings for
January, this year. In the sum of S5l,
500; for. the first week In February. SOL
600 and for the second week in Febru
ary. se3. ono. This. he added. was for the
whole system but he thought that the
decreased earnings In Utah would amount
10 at least $4,000 week for the time
stated.
Mr Allison said further that the Heber
City branch and the Marysvale branch of
the road had ALWAYS lost money. In the
same connection. he referred 10 the fact
that the Denver e. Rio Grande was be
hind the Western Pacific and that the
latter road was not making enough
money TO meet the interest on its bonds |
All of these things. IL was contended. |
should be taken into consideration when
the matter of s,ill further decreasing the
earnings was proposed.
In connection with the earnings of the
road, Mr.. Love and Mr.. Baboock inter
ripted by saving that Utah. with q per
cert Of the entire mileage of the system.
contributed a per cent OF the profits |
This was disputed by Mr.. Allison.
Loss on Freight.
Continuing his argument, Mr.. Allison |
declared that " the bill was enacted the |
road would absolutely lose the following
amounts per ton on freight between the
points naneds- From Clesr Creek to Eu- |
reka. IT mills; to .Marysvale. 5 mills: 10 |
Park City: LILO mills. He also added |
mean a loss annually OF s520.00o on The |
present revenues. derived from shipments |
10 Salt Lake. Ogden, Murray Bingham,
Garfield Magma. Midvale. Provo and Tin
tic. in addition to the 100000 annually |
which the road voluntarily relinouIshed |
by its recent reduction in rates. All
Denver & Rio Grands pays out $500 600 !
month in wages in Utah.
Mr.. Allison then discussed grades saw.
Ing that every pound OF freight shIpped |
over the road from Denver to Salt Lake
describes thirty complete circles between
The two points and reaches an altitude
OF TWO miles. Therefore, he said IL was |
unfair to compare the Denver & Rio
Grands with eastern roads where ono on : |
gine could do the work Of three in Colo |
RADIO or Utah. He further declared that |
The smelters Of the state. which used so
heard 10 complain OF the rates
Mr.. Derrah Is Heard.
Then followed general discussion Of
through rates. grades and other collateral
matters. until S. V Derrsh OF the freight |
department OF TN; Denver & Rio Grande
was called upon.
Mr.. Derrah went into the much-taIked- |
Of contract between the Rio C;rande |
Western and the Southern Pacific some
years ago. by which the Rio C;randc
Western delivered n large tonnage Of Goa
to the Southern Pacific at Ogden for 81 Is
q ton. the railroad getting ~ cents a ton
for hauling tho coal. while the remaining
81 a ton went 10 the coal company
Mr.. Derrah stated that about the year
and the Rio Grandc Western Railway
company were under joint ownership
and so close were their relations .hai
the railway company In many cages col
lected the price of the coal from lhe
consignees In addition 10 the freight |
charges. tho price OF the coal being billed
as advances.
Mr.. Derrah added that the contract
was for very large amount Of coal
understood 60 be approximately 1000 tons
per day, and that the coal WAS for the