Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-30
TARIFF ON MEAT
HIGH ENOUGH, IS
EXPERT s BELIEF
Fred Pettijohn, Employed by
Clifford Thome for State
Commissioners, Declares
Rates Show Profit,
lpv ao"sso JOURNAL SPECIAL lsAsro w,ssi

I Chicago, April 29.-Compilations of
( transportation costs and revenues on
packing house products We're intro
duced In evidence today before w. NJ.
/ Daniels, Interstate Commerce com
missioner hearing the western freight
rate case, TO show that 40 per cent
gross profit was made on such traf-
hc by the Chicago q Alton railroad
on It's western division and that a
gross profit of SO per cent was made
by the Northwestern railroad on
similar traffic from Council Bluffs tol
Chicago.
The testimony was given by Fred
Pettijohn of ST. Paul, an expert ac- |
countant who described In detail the
method by which he arrived at his
conclusions that fresh meats and
packing house products transported
on a special contract at rate cents
below the competitive rate from Kan |
sas City to the Mississippi river, and
~ cents lower than the proposed |
advance sought by forty-one west |
ern railroad systems. earned the Chi |
cago y Alton road 40 per cent gross
profit
Similar tabulations were introduce
ed by the witness to show that the
packing house product and fresh
meat haul of the Chicago a North
western road from Council Bluffs to
Chicago was nearly az profitable at
the present rates, which the railroads
are seeking to advance 31s cents q
hundred pounds.
sA-cXamlIlniiOn Lengthy.
ON cross examination exception
was taken by c. c. Wright. general
solicitor of the Northwestern, toI
train tonnage figures which were
based on conductors wheel reports.
Lator in the cross examination Mr..
Pettijohn asserted that the conduc-
tors wheel reports were used by the
railroad companies in reporting the
mileage to the Interstate Commerce
commission ana We're sufficient for
all practical purposes.
The crOss-eXamination occupied
the entire forenoon session and went ,
into detail on the methods of COM ,
putation employed Mr.. Mr.. Petit
John.
The witness said that his compu-
tations on the Northwestern road n
were based on the proposition that
packing house business should not
pay any part Of the expenses Of
branch lines unless it participated in
the branch line movement OF trains. =
Clifford Thorne Employs Expert v
Mr.. Pcttitohn said that he was em-
ployed by Clifford Thorne, head OF c
the special commission of state rail- I
road committees Further questions r
resulted in a statement from coun- {
sci for the packers that Armour a v
Co, Swift & Co., Morris q Co. and il
Suzberger & Sons co. were paying n
the witness for his work. n
on the computation OF the OK Il
pense Of hauling meat trains over the
Chicago q Alton from Kansas city, Il
Mr.. Pottiiohn said he had not allow a
I'd for delay to other trains throush II
he necessity Of keeping the meat 81
rains up to schedule time, except as
le had allowed for empty cars in the u
vest bound movement el
"Rut you know that when these Ia
asst packing house trains meet other
rains the other trains have to so on d
/ side track and waltz" Mr. Wright X
lsked. IN
Yes" the witness replied n
And there is overtime on those al
,ther trains caused thus by packingi h
rouse tonnage but which You do not vi
harge TO packing house products 2" &C
Mr. Wright added. tr