The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-10-29
CHANGE IN
MANAGEMENT

.no manap ement of the G. & p. rail-
.oad will be made by the directors
nd stockholders OF that company
.nout the first OF this coming month.
Rriefy summarized these changes
;rvolye the acceptance OF the resig-
nation of Mr.. McOutcheon, the Pres
,asot and Managing Director of the
oompany since its inception, the
.hsndonment OF the eastern Office in
putsburg, and the substitution of a
locaI General Manager to run the
rosd with the assistance of such Off
esrs as are customary and necessary, |
worklug and operating from head
Quarters establised at the terminus
Of the line.
It was known at the time Mr.. Nc
4 Cutcheon made his recent visit west
d that the finances of the road were
not in satisfactory shape. The pol
icy of exhorbitant rates and discrim-
nation against the Salmon shipper
and iobber produced the results every
thinking man in this community an
uciuated. Rates that were but little
below the old cost Of freighting from
Redrock naturally operated to dis
NJ courage shipments except OF such
commodities as were absolutely nec-
esssry at any cost; car rates on live
stock. potatoes, hay, and the natural
prcducts of this valley we're 50 high
that no encouragement was given
the local farmer to produce such ar
ticles IN quantity greater than nee
essary to meet the local demand; rates
on live stock, being established at
lust about twice what it formerly
cost to drive to Redrock, and much
higher, in the case of the importa-
ton of high-grade breeding stock
which is generally imported in less
than car load lots, resulted In sutfic-
lent number of the local growers
driving to aud from Montana points.
accepting such shrinkage as resulted
therefrom as yet less than the freight
over-charge, thereby depriving the
railroad of large revenue 1t would
have been entitled to different pol
icy.
Since the beginning of operation
Of the road, the company has had
suticiency of freight and stock cars
such as they are, but the policy o
the eastern management mas beer
such as to allow these cars to rus
and decay on slde-tracks, rather thai
keep them in condition of ef1icienc
by meeting halfway such offers
freight at lesser rate as the natura
resources of the county offered. Al
illustration of the harm this polio
has done local enterprise and tn
railroad itself is found IN the CASE Q
acontract for railroad ties recentl
figured on by NJ. W. FriedoItf o
Leadore. AS it is reported and bt
lieyed Mr.. Friedorff figured on thi
offered contract and found that b
could cut and supply the quantity
ties needed provided the quoted rat
on ties from Leadofe to Armstea
was slightly reduced. The matte
being taken up with the local supe
intendent, Mr.. Bichler, the latte
Immediately saw the advantage
the road and the community OF NAL
ing such rate as would secure IL
the railroad company this revenu
and Accordingly new rate, to be lat
sanctioned by. the eastern of1ic
which was quite satisfactory to M
Friedorff. One does not need to be
railroad man to understand the a
Rument which impelled the wild
awake local officers to make conce
sions for this business; with ca
rusting on the sidetracks; wages
train crews liked and inevitable: CO
ior fuel, oil, etc., of locomotives al
certain and little increased by t
addition OF one or two cars to t
aaily haul; Office expense and 9th
overhead charges practically t
same with or without the busine'
1t would seem an act of gross inco
petence to neglect the opportunity
getting the business. However th
may be, for some unexplained reas
the rate as attempted to be made
Tile local officers Was turned dow
the railroad company lost the freiG
on several thousand ties, Mr.. Fri
oFn lost good contract, the For
service a natural revenue, and
good many tie cutters freighters,
A"'miil men in Lemhi some pro
able employment.
Many other circumstances C
spired to produce in the mind OF re
eentS Of the country a feeling {
the railroad was unfayorable 10 ii
interests; the absurd and indefe
iois schedule Of service whereby {
More Is as far-by tTain--from
mon as is Boise OF Salt Lake Cl
and twice as far as Butte, Mont,
oitT disregard and indifference I
h4S oeen habituslly shown by
eastern management to the matt
Complaints and requests emanai
Hom salmon and vicinity, and
s0efning express charges, discrimi
uon, excessive freights, etc. all IN
kH Il gfsa ka A. t. nssfalsN I