Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1913-11-21
MANY WITNESSES ARE
EXAMINED FIRST DAY
Citizens From Many Points
Appear to Tell of Burdens
Which Hamper Growth and
Development Of Industry
. ~~~&'%%&~~3e&%~%%$ .
CHIEF POINTS BROUGHT
OUT IN TESTIMONY

9 were brought out in the evidence @
o introduced by the state corpo- {"
o ration commission in the rate %
9 hearing yesterday: g
o That as 10 very many articles g
Q of every day commerce. It is 9
o cheaper to ship through New g
o Mexico in either direction than g
@ to ship into New Mexico. @
o That the rate from Kansas City g
o to Gallup on certain commodities @
o is the highest main line rate In ?
9 the United States 2
@ That certain iobbers i'm Albu- 9
@ querque are accustomed to iill 9
Q orders direct from the manufac- %
o turer by way Of FL Paso in or g
o der to secure the lower rate and /"
@ compete with El Paso merchants. g
% That in many instances the III @
o Paso merchant can buy goods g
@ from the factory and reship p
@ them to Deming at a lower rate @
@ than the Deming merchant can
o buy the same goods IN the same g
o quantities direct
o That the wool securing indus q
o uy IN Albuquerque mas been q
@ killed by inequality In freight
8 rates O.
. . @@@@@ . 9 @@@ . . 8@@ Q Q
Hearing on the proceedings insti-
tuted by the Now Mexico Corporation
commission before the United States
Interstate Commerce commission TO
equalze freight rates in this state
was begun yesterday morning at 10
o'clock in the federal court room IN
the postoffice building Judson G..
Clements, of the interstate commits
sion, presided at the hearing, but an
nounced at the outset that he would
be compelled to return east last night,
and that subsequent hearings would
be conducted by Examiner Mackiey
for the commission
Interest in the proceedings was at
tested by the large and representa-
tive audience that sat through the
hearing from 10 o'clock in the morn
ing until $3.50 in the afternoon. A
committee from the Albuquerque
Commercial club, headed by Presi-
dent George A. Kaseman, was pres
ent, ready to render any assistance
that might be needed, but the case
had been so thoroughly prepared by
the state corporation commission that
there was little for the local eontin-
gent to do.
Representing the corporation com
mission as special counsel was Attor-
ney Samuel II. Cowan, Of Fort Worth,
recognized as one Of the leading spe-
cialsts in railroad rate litigation IN
the United states. Attorney General
Clancy was unable to attend the hear
ing on account Of previous court en-
gagements, but it was announced that
he would file briefs in the case at the
proper time.
representing the Santa Fe rail-
way, the railroad principally affected
py the proposed change of rates, was
o T. Bledsoe, general attorney for the
company in Oklahoma. Mr. Bledsoe
was assisted in the examipation of
witnesses by i. b. Houghton, freight
tfaitle manager, and w. r. Brown, Of
FL Paso' general freight and passen-
ger agent Of the Santa re. The South
ern Pacific was represented by j G..
stubbs, the El Paso &, Southwestern
py John Franklin, the Los Angeles
dhhhers' association by Fred P Greg
SON the Arizona corporation commits
sion by Commissioner r. A. Jones, and
certain Pecos valley intervenors BY
Rufus Daniels.
merchants and shippers from Dem
ing, Gallup, SILVER city and other cit
les IN New Mexico were also present
as well as every member Of the New
Mexico corporation commission.
The first witness to be introduced
by Mr Cowan for the commission,
was Rate Expert B, j.. Seggerson,
VINO was on the stand during all ct
the morning session and part Of the
time during the afternoon. Mr.. Seq
gerson's testimony was for the most
part an explanation Of numerous ta-
bles Of figures which had been com
piled by him in his official capacity
and which were introduced in evi-
dence without objection
The essential part of Mr.. segger-
sons testimony was to the effect that
from the east the rates into New
Mexico We're, in his opinion, excessive /
and discriminatory in favor Of ElI
Paso, while from the west. in lesser
degree the rates We're equally dis
criminatory in favor of Trinidad. IN
other words. he stated, it was in many
instances cheaper to ship through |
New Mexico in either direction than
to ship into the state