The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-23
COMMERCIAL CLUBS
JOIN RATE FIGHT
idaho Business Men Intervene
in Suit TO Secure Lower
Charges on Coal.
srccial TO The Tribune.

Srrcial 20 The Tribune.
EoISE. Ida. April g2.-The League os
Southern Idaho Commercial clubs has
decided 10 mako Hght for lower coal
rates TO Idaho points ana entered int"
4 complaint fled by the Consolidated
Fuel company and Castle Valley Coal
company, both Salt Lake coal operators,
against twenty-siN al tho western orer-
atinC railroads. as int"rvcnor. The r9u-
roads named in the complaint are charged
with raising The freight rates on coal
shipments into the states al Utah. Idaho
Montana. Washington. OREGON. Nevada
ana California. until II Is almost mpos-
sjbe for the mining companies to handle
the fuel. Tho petition or suit had been
forwarded ana placed on nIc WIN me
Interstate commerce commission. WlllCn
VIII send referee into the states named
wthn n short time 30 take evidence,
The fight for lower rates is one OF the
most important IL Is considered. that has
ever becn started in The west. The rail-
roads made defendants are The Atchis0n
Topeka & Santa Fc, Denver Rio
Grande. Western Pacific. Union Pacific.
Oregon Short Line. Oregon Railroad \
Navigation. Oregon Washington Railroad
q Navigation. Southern Pacific: Butte.
Anaconda & Paclfi". san Pedro. Los An
Eclcs 6 Salt Lake, Eureka 6 Palisade.
Nevada Central. Nevada County Narrow
Gauge Nevada Northern. Nevada & Call
fornia Northwestern Pacific Virginia &
'rrurkce Northern Pacific. Pacific & Ida
ho Northern. CamaS Prairc Idaho North
err. payct;c Valley. Oregon & Washing
ton. San Diego Southern Castle Valley,
anI Southern Utah.
The two corporations allcgc that they
have spent thousands Of dollars procur-
ing coal lands. purchasing and Install
luG equipment. etc. Tho Consolidated
has = csnacity OF 1900 tons per day and
the Castle Valley 600 tons per day. Both
complainantS llccc tina tho freight
rates ON coal charged 10y the railroads
named are excessive. unreasonah bic and
urlawful charges aDI should hc lowered.
In the Doltlon oS Intervention OF the
League Of Southern Idaho Commercial
clubs making IL 81 party TO the suit for
lower freight rates, IT is cited: THAT
clubs in The towns ard cities Of AncrI-
Falls. Boise. iSurlev. Caldwell. Cam
bridge Goodinc. Haecrrnan, HALEY. Nc
Cannon, Mountain Home Nampa, Poca-
Shoshonc. Twin Falls and Wendell. and
as such ro0rrsents the commercial and
business interests Of the southern por-
tIop al the state OF Idaho"
Among other complaints the plaintiffs
make the following:
THAT said field and market under eX-
is'jns freight tariffs and conditions is
In larcc measure monorol2eG by the
served Immediately by the Union Pacific
RAILWAY company. defendant. ny reason
OF which said monopoly ,oompe ti:ion In
~" coal market IS hndorca and coal is
sold In SAID territory at AN average price
CT about IS per ton.
THAT ~ reason OF said monopoly said
district of southern Idaho has al diverse
?nl supGrv times suffered from coal fam
inr. particularly during the winter sea-
son. ani hat " Spid defendants be per-
fniiica 10 continue is liahlc 10 suffer a
rer"iition Of such coal famine, 10 the
r"ne-ai distress az the pcoIle living
whom arc dc,ncnde5t upon coal for all
fIcl purposes.