The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-02-24
PASSES ASKED IN
NAME OF DENvIR
Commerce Body Issues State
ment After Investigating
Demands on Road.
NO EXPLANATION IS OFFERED
Illinois Solon Did Not Explain Al
though Opportunity Was Given
Him-Threats Against l. C.
as Well as the Burlington.

Washington, Feb. 23-Correspond-
ence5 between John T. Denvir," who
represented himself as member OF
the Illinois legislature, ard the Chi
cago, Burlington & Quincy railroad
in which Denvir demanded from the
railroad a personal pass and threat
ened legislative action because it was
not supplied, led the interstate COM
merce commission to issue a supple
mental report upon the inquiry made
by the commission into the issue OF
free transportation by western rail
roads. There was John T. Denvir
in the Illinois legislature. He in
formed the commission that he did not
sign the letter and that it was not
sent by his authority
Mo Explanation From DenVir.
The report of the commission says:
Although opportunity for full ex-
planation was afforded Mr.. Denvir,
it was not forthcoming, and we deem
it our duty to make this record of the
matter 1t is well to add that our
investigations of the records of other
carriers at Chicago show that many
requests have been made in the past
for free transportation for the use OF
John T. Denvir. The records of the
Illinois Central show that refusal
to issue such a free pass was followed
by the receipt of letter by its vice
president as follows:
"I insist you grant me transporta-
AZ % M
as the answer. In the event you dis
regard my request you can rest as
sured that in the next general assem-
bly,, the forty-eighth of which | will
be a member, / will introduce bill
with regard to frontage on the lake
front from Sixty-third street to Ran
dolph street, which belongs to the
state of Illinois and which you realize
was never purchased or leased. 1t is
not. my aim to be disagreeable in
the matter and l am, therefore, at a
loss to understand how you can con-
sistently refuse me-
"The signature to this document ap-
papently is in the same handwriting
as the signature to the letter quoted
above
This letter also was signed John T.
Denvir'
Burlington Rejected Request.
Denvir requested an annual pass for
himself on account of the Legislative
public utilities commission The
arlington road declined. A letter sub
sequently was received by the general
counsel of the Nad, written on the
eia letter head of the committee
and signed John T. Denvir." 1t said
IN part:
LAS chairman of the public utilities
commission you can look for legisla'
ton that will work hardship to your
company, and l wish to assure you
that when our commission gets
through with you that you will find
YOUR roads in the hands of receiver
for you certainly are violating the
laws of the state"
Similar letters were found in the
files of other railroads examined. the
report says.
Regarding the Montana investiga-
tion the report states that the com
mission regards 1t as reprehenslele.
An act of the legislature recently
Tassed authorizes carriers to issue
| free transportation to state officials
when travelling within the state on
! public business. Instead of being ad.
| ministered on that basis, however. 1t
was ascertained, the passes were dis
tributed widely among state officials
and others.
On broad, general grounds" says
the report, "all must condemn such
practice and the carriers which dis
sipate their revenues in that form
snd recoup the loss In their rates,
will find sooner or later that this com
mission will not lose sight of the
practice when their rates are ques-
toned in complaints before us"