The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-20
TAKE TESTIMONY At
WOOL RATE HEARING
Producers of lntern1ountain
Section Say Railroad Tar
ifs Are Unjust,
ALLEGE DISCRIMINATION
Traffic Men Say Water Com
petition Makes Low Rates
From Pacific Necessary.

tion arc attempting 10 prove 10 tH' o"'-
cd states Interstate commerce commission
that the railroads are charging them 100
high rate on wool shipments 10 Boston
and other eastern markets In coinPar''
son with the rates applying from Pa
cinc coast points. Railroad men say
the water competition on the Pacihc
coast makes 1t necessary that a very
low rate be made on WOOL from cohs'
points In order To retain any Of the pusl
ness for the rail lines; otherwise. an OF
the wool would be shipped by water.
talroad men also deny that the rates
on wool applying 10 shipments from '"s
section are unreasonable.
These are the ohiei points that form
the besis OF n hearing begun YESTERDAY
before Commissioner Ward Prouty Inc
hearing is being held In the son,h court
room in the federal building. The com
paint upon which the hearing is he!d
was nled before tho United states cont
direct result Of resolution adopted at
The annual convention Of the Natlnna.
Woolgrowers' association at Pnrliann lIsl
winter The complaint was hied ny
reprcgeutug the national association. ana
the Utah WoolsrowcrS askoclatloh Jolneo
with the national association. inc WOOL
growers arc represented AT the hearings
by Mr.. Johnson for Tn. national assccia-
tion. ard G. r. stewart for the Titan as
ISOLATION. The government rs represent
a.
Washir oton. and George II. Smith and
A. p Mathew r.pTcscnt the oregon Short
Line and Western Pacific. respectively.
H. y Adams freight traffic manager.
was The nrst witness yesterday morn
ing MIR Adams said the Western Pa
cihc had never received n complaint that
wool rats we're IN" high. He SAID that
the rail rate on wool Ia Boston from
Nevada points was S2.l3 and the rate
from Pacific coast points was 81 The
railroads. nc said. had, 10 mako the 81
A. ...it ~.
OF tho low rate by the water route
Days OF Relating.
J. ". summcrhays Of the Rowe Nor
ris Summernsys company. was an
unwilling witness. Mr.. Suinmv rIays said
hc had many friends among the railroad
said that. ten years ago, III The daEs OF
yrbHtinE hc shipped wool to Boston
from salt Lake AT $50 The hundred.
o;I u published rate OF s.. Later In the
dny Mr summcrhays produced docu-
Incuis to show that ne had received re-
bates of approximately $50 on three or
four 2ooo1-pound Gonsisnmcnts OF Wool
and hides. ana said that he bad an un-
1"rStandin~ with the Union Pacific that
ne was to receive "A rebate Of $50 car
he admitted on cross-examina ton by
Mr.. Smith that tho. oregon Short Line
did not appear in the rcbating system.
that tho Oregon Short Line was
party 10 any rebate concessions lie had
received MIR Summsrhays said hc 'ieAlt
With the Union Pacific In all Instances Of
receiving rebates except one when his
claim was made 10 the illinois Central.
hays Shipments originated in salt Lake
and wen, Oregon Short Linz. Union
Puchc. Illinois Central and Red Iinc.
M Suumcrhays said II was cheap
e. 10 send wool from Modcna 10 Ros-
ton hy way OF Los Angeles than II was
,o send I, direct. This he explained by
saving that the date fron Modcna to-
Boston was S2.3S By shipping 10 Los
Angeles in sacks and paying the local
rate OF 50 cents. adding - cents ior bal
ing and paying the Los Angeles Boston
rate Of 81. tho Modcna shipper could
reach Boston at "a rate % Sl.95.
For Oregon Short Line.
J. y Reeves. general freight agent OF
The Oregon Short Line. was the prlnci
nal witness of In" afternoon and prac-
t!"ally The only one. Mr.. Re"vcs Was
questioned N length by Mr.. Johnson. He
was asked u lie had ever received re-
quest for lower rates from Utah wool
growers. He replied that he did not
recall such "A request letter was after
wards introduced Wherein the Utah Wool
growers association had asked for lower
rat"s and threatened 10 bring proceed
mission u thcv were not granted. II
was shown. however. that Mr.. Reeves
had never seen this letter
Poetry and Rates.
There Was much questioning as 10 the
rolicv OF tho Hartman lines respecting
ritory. Mr.. Johnson read from A red
book. blue book and white book
literature sent out by tho Hartman lines.
Some OF this was In verse and WAS de-
voted Ia glowing descriptions OF the pos
sibilities of tho west. Mr.. Reeves said
hc was not much Of a literary expert and
could not answer good many OF the
questions propounded bv Mr. johnson.
some of which had for their basis poetic
contributions 10 the red book. AIR. John
also rropounded n number or uues-
lions involving tho rat" par ION mile"
sir. Reeves admitted that he was not an
crport on the rate per ton mile way Of
figuring.
IN the course Of series OF questions
that contained neither poetry nor unit
measures OF cost and earnings. Mr.
Reeves said he believed that. in tho di-
vision OF rates from the west to Boston
western roads should have tho larger
percentage Of the revenue for several
rchsons One of these was. said Mr.
Reeves That eastern lines handled about
800 cars OF freight 10 one handled by a
western line. Another was that IL cost
more 10 operate "A railroad In the west
Than III the east.
Water Competition.
Mr.. Reeves said the reason for the 81
rat. from Pacific coast points on wool to
Boston was that water comp"tit'on must
he met II any OF tho wool business was 10
be- retained by rail carriers.
Mr.. Reeves said that railroads often
had 10 nS tariffs 10 meet conditions in
competitive territory.
In reply 10 questions by Mr. Smith Mr.
Reeves explained the relation between
The rates on bullion and on wool from
Sar Lake 10 the Atlantic seaboard Hul-
lion. he said. was a very desirable COM
modify. There was never anV danger
from nrc or otherwise. The smclters pro
Nided the tonnage 3s1 DAYS IN the wear
whereas tho WOOL shinpinR season iasteg
ONLY sixty dnvs. IL order that tho
smelt"rs In the Salt Lake district might
rompr,c With those OF Texas and those
~ Montana. Mr.. Reeves said the present
rate or bullion was fixed. The compc;l-
tion on business from III Paso and there
abouts by water via Galveston was nee.
css5rilT very keen. Montana smelters
1lto had the advantage of water trans
unTtatton by wav Of Duluth and tho lakes
said Mr. Reeves. 4 car Of wool and
CsT OF bullion. said Mr.. Reeves brought
800
Mr. Reesres said IL had aIways been the
policy of the Oregon Short Line 10 give
10 rebates
The hearing will be- resumed at 70
fcock this forenoon.
Hearings on tho wool tariffs have n
-ssdy been held I'm Chicago and Denver