Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-31
Nebraska
SMITH HEARS COAL CASE
Federal Official inquiries Into Inter
state Traffic Charges.
MANY TOWNS ARE AFFECTED
Nebraska and Colorado Points Ask
ing for Reduction on Tariff
on Coal from Colorado
Fields.

" rom a ClaIt Correspondent
LINCOLN, Oct 3O.-(Special)-A hear
ng involving coal rates between nearly a
hundred Colorado points and the same
number Of towns in this state was held at
the federal court room in this city today
before Special Examiner j. E. Smith OF
the Interstate Commerce commission, in
which the Burlington. the Colorado &
Southern and Rio Grande railroads are
defendants. The members of the State
Railway commission conducted the exami-
nation Of the witnesses for the plaintiffs.
L. G. Powell. rate expert OF the Nebraska
commission, was on>the stand the greater
part of the day, Attorneys for all of the
railroads interested were present.
The question affects nearly the same
number of Colorado towns as are af-
fected in this state.
The railway commission claims that the
rate of $3.50 per ton charged from the
Colorado points to the Nebraska towns is
unreasonable and unjust and that the
rate of g per ton would be a just and
reasonable rate. The towns affected by
this rate are Sanborn. Haigler, Parks,
Benkelman, Max, Stratton, Nenango,
Brandon. Grant, Badrd, Elsie, Wallace,
Dickens, Somerset, Wellfleet. haywood
Curtis Moorefield, Inghsm, Farnham.
Trenton, Culbertson, Perry, McCook, Red
Willow, Indianola, BARLEY, Cambridge.
Edison. oxford Beverly, Palisade, Ham
let, Wauneta? Enders and Imperial
Charge il Too Much.
The commission states that the rate Of
S3.75 per ton is charged to the following
towns in Nebraska: Marion, Danbury.
Lebanon. Wilsonvllle. Hendley, Beaver
city, Stamford, Orleans, Carter, Alma,
Republican Naponee, Bloomington, Riv-
erton, Franklin, Inavale. Red Cloud, Les
ter, Guide Rock. Boswick. Superior, Ever
son, Huntley, Ragan, Keene, Norman,
IIolstein, Roseland, Leroy, Pauline, Spring
Ranch, Fairfield, Clay Center, Harvard,
Inland, HalIoran, Brickston, Ayr, Cowles,
Angus, Nelson, Smyrna, Edgar, Deweese,
Lawrence, Rosemont Bluehill, Bladen,
Campbell, Upland. Hildreth, Wilcox, Sac
ramento and Minden. The commission
claims that the rate OF 1915 charged on
shipments to these towns is unjust and
discriminatory as compared with the $3.50
rate to points between Holdrege and Has
tings, Grand Island, Kearney and Aurora.
Deny Rate Unjust.
The commission asks that the rate be
reduced to $3.50 for transportation be-
tween the Colorado points and the points
named. The defendants deny that the
rates charged by them are unjust and un-
reasonable and the Colorado Southern de-
MES the allegation of ,the commission that
the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy owns
GA per cent of the stock of that road
The evidence given today before the ex-
aminer by MIR. Powell was mainly the Of
ferng of exhibits of wayblls and time
cards of the defendants in possession of
the commission. which show the rates
charged on various commodities from
Colorado to the Nebraska points.
Gives Road Figures.
Mr.. Powell gave evidence from the re-
ports of the railroads showing the tom
mage carried by trains between points in
Colorado and the tonnage carried between
Colorado points and points in Nebraska.
il was shown that the tonnage capacity OF
the same engines between some points in
Colorado was from ESQ tons to 1850 tons
as compared with the tonnage of 1850 and
1900 tons handled between some points In
Nebraska. Some of the points between
which the tonnage capacity of the trains
was shown were Sterling to Palmer, Dem
Yer TO oxford and oxford and Holdrege.
1t was shown that the tonnage carried
by class II engine between Sterling and
Palmer was los tons; from Denver to
oxford by an 4 engine with thirty cars
was 1l9O tons, with fifty cars 1855 tons;
from oxford to Holdrege with fifty cars
2l25 tons; from NcCook to oxford 800
tpnS mora could ba bandlad