Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-03-05
"CITY BEAUTIFUL
DEMANDS PULLING
g9S ROADS NEAR RUIN

Continued from Page one.J
but that would not have provided. faeill-
ties far enoughsin the future and bet
ter location was necessary First esti-
mates ran TO tS.OOo.oOo. but with con-
struction Of the station came requirements
for viaducts and subways and soon the
estimate was s6.OOO.OOe
''The final cost will be s5o.OOoOOo This
like tho one projected at ST. Paul. vas a
matter OF local pride. The public wants
railway stations that win add TO the
beauty Of the city. But It all means bur-
dcns for the railroads without more In
como. In fact. Il means greater expense
for the old stations could be maintained
cheaper than the new ones"
Mr.. Feiton 10 TO be cross-examined to-.
morrow.
wants More Time.
Mr.. Thorne outlined the basis of the
shippers opposition 10 the proposed in
ereases. He asserted that sufficient time
had not been allowed for an Investigation
by the shippers and that later more time
time would be asked.
mo case between private citizens ever
tried before this commission. or before
any tribunal In recorded history. has In
volved such q stupendous sum OF money
as that which IL at stake IN this proceed
ing said Mr.. Thorne.
Though our Investigation has not been
completed. that which we have TO offer
will show conclusively as TO representa-
tive railroad companies In this territory
That the credit OF these western rail-
way companies Is better than that OF
representative companies in any other
line OF business in the United States.
Depression General.
That the depression Of the last year
was not due 70 freight or passenger rates,
was not peculiar 20 the railroad industry.
but applied 10 business generally
throughout the world.
That. disregarding extremely prosper
Gus AID extremely lean years. which
come TO all business. these western rail-
way companies during recent ordinarily
normal years have earned more both
grosisl and net per mile OF line and per
train than ever In their history.
That these companies have ben able
10 maintain their properties during re-
cent years at higher standard than ever
before IN their history. and they have
been also set aside large sums OF money
cut OF earnings for betterments and i'm
provements and outside investments
which should have been made from cap.
itsl
who shall Payf
'Tersely stated. the issues In this cas-,
center around the one question: Who
shall pay for the additions and better
ments 20 railroad property? The public In
terest demands better service safer trans
portation and improved facilities. but 4
also demands that the railroads them
selves shall build these improvements an,
the public Will then pay a reasonable re
turn on their value. We want these bet
teFsnents. but justice demands that W,
shall not pay for their construction an,
then pay an annual return 10 the rail
roa6s on what we build"
The first witness called TO the stan,
was c. y. sehaff. president OF the Mis-
souri,. Kansas a Texas Railway company
Mr. schaff said the proposed increase
would give the Missouri. Kansas a Texa
road an additional revenue OF $4,000 "A
said the margin between the income an
revenues Of All the roads involved Ia
20 constantly diminished until little rev
enue remains for the railroads.
Cross-examined b. Dir. Thorne. Nj