Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-11-21
rizOna Commissioners Evidence COnObOrateS
New Mexico Contention That Rates in Force at
Present are Excessive and Discriminatory

the preparation of ~ case. The eX-
hibita we're fourteen in number.
Mr. owen then presented the freight
operation sheets of the Santa Fe for
the year ended June 80. 1913. a. fur
nishcd by the officers of the COMPANY
Mr. Cowan asked thar he read the
cost on the various divisions per ton
mile for hauling freight during the
period covered By the operation
sheets.
Mr. owen read from the operation
sheets the figures given upon the ba-
sis cf 1000 gross ton miles. the cost
of hauling tonnage, both gross and
net. for the year ended June 30, 1913,
and FOR the preceding year. These
figures. in an save a. few cases, show
ed reduction in cost OF handling
tonnage In New Mexico. Where in
crcases are shown In cost, they gem
orally are branch lines, or those di-
visions having branches. The only
division Ia the state on which any
considerable increase In operation cost
Is shown, is the RiO Grandc division,
! Albuquerquc 10 m Pasu, with branches
| To Magdalena and silver CITY. Dee
ereaFes are SHOWN ON the New Mexico
division. La Junta to Albuquerque;
! the plains division and the Pecos d.
/ vision.
J Mr Rlcdsoe called witnesses atteu-
I uun that M figuring the unit cost
! company freight was not Included ANA
asked. n company freight be- includ-
cd. % would not naturally increase
! tho cost MI owen replied that u
/ would
MIR. Rlcdsuc asked 10 in his COM
, parisons using Texas common point
/ rates ne had not used extreme lim-
| lis Of the territory Witness said ne
! had. The santa Pc counsel then ask
| ed if it would not bc fair 90 take an
! average. rather than the extreme
! limit. Mr. owen refused 60 concedo
this point, although Mr. Bledsoe
! pressed the point.
! Spectators filtered In after lo;30
and hy n O'Clock the spectators
| benches were well dllcd.
NJ Rlodsoc continued careful oN-
= animation ol the witness with special
regard To his mileage basis OF com
! paris,n In the various rate diagrams
the cnort ocing to show In pracucdl'y
all cases that the mileage compnr-
sons were not upon a fair basis
Judge Bledsoe then turned Co Mr.
ovens opening statement yesterday
afternoon. In which the commissionci
stated that the railroad company
while receiving fair return ON ts
investment. should bear It's thatc oil
IN, Losses sustained by the nome
stcadcr and the Industrial pioneer
tho apparent effort being 10 bflns
from the commissioner "a statement
that the transportation companies
should receive a fair return on ihelI
Investment
MIR owen readily admitted that tho
railroads should receive a fair return
but he held that especially iu new
community ln which development l
lust beginning. the railroads sh"u''
NOT demand an excessive return
Judge Blcdsoe called attention "a
the well known fact that not only 20
New McXico but no the most prosper
Gus and thiCSly settled sections lh'
railroads are being called on co"
. stantly for assistance,
Iudge Cowau followed win ser
les OF questions tending to supp"r
the mileage bases used by th" rorp"r
. alton commission m its cumparhu''
diagrams
After "a brief exchange ot question:
. copccrning Pccos valley rates u
which Alr. Blcdsoc. Attorney Ruh
Daniels. representing Carlsbad 'n'
, Judge Conan Joined, and Wh''h '''
, nowhere. Mr.. owen Was dismissed