New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-06-22
RATE HEARING
OF INTEREST TO
ALL SHIPPERS
STATE CORPORATION COM.
MISSION HEARS MANY
RAILROAD FREIGHT MEN.
SHIPPERS ARE PRESENT
AND ASK MANY QUESTIONS

last friQay ana Saturday IN the
mltt.r the request of all the
'a:lroads in the state for an increas,
in freight rates of fifteen per cen
to be effective July lst. The re-
qucst was filed May 9th, at which
time the Commission approved tn,
filing of supplemental tariffs sub
jrct to protest. complaint, investi
cation and correction. Since the
due notice was given that the hear.
ing would be held on June 18th.
No formal complaints or prot est.
were filed with the commission. The
railroads, however, thought it fair
to the commission to prepare anc
submit complete evidence as to why
this increase was imperative to give
the railroads money to maintain th(
present efficiency of the service tc
the public.
Every railroad in New Mexico wa.
repi esented. J. r. Koontz. Genera
Freight Agent; George w. Oliver
D. L. Meyers, Assistant General
Freight Agent; c. c. Dana. Assistant
General Freight Agent; and w. c
Reid, Solicitor for New Mexico were
Santa Fe Railway representatives
H. c. Hallmark, Assistant Freight
Agent of the Southern Pacific; w
c, Barnes, General Freight Agent OF
the FL Paso and Southwestern; B
w. Robbins, Assistant General
Freight Agent of the Denver and
Rio Grandc; F. H. Mcbride, General
Freight Agent and H. D. Sears, Stat.
istician of the New Mexico Central
and Powell Stackhouse, President OF
the New Mexico Midland we're pre-
sent } X. koontz represented the
Rock Island and Colorado and
Southern.
Among shippers present were c,
N Cotton OF Gallup; Donald Stew
art of Gross, Kelley and Co., Louis
HE'D, Las Vegas; L. L. Beale, mill
er at Las Vegas; Charles Danziger
OF Las Vegas; and others. Though
no formii complaints had been filed
attorneys present and shippers were
given opportunity to examine wit
nesSes.
On behalf of all the railroads J.
r. Koontz made the opening state
lnent. He outlined the difficulties
under which the railroads were lab
oring at the present time. Every
thing needed in the operation of the
roads had advanced in price and in
dications were that prices would go
higher. Upkeep of way, structures,
and equipment was costing much
more and about the only thing that
had not advanced was freight rates.
Every other line OF business had
been permitted to increase. the price
of their products. the railroads have
been required to market their only
the old
figure. Mr. Koontz explained that
the railroads would present their
evidence to the commission frankly,
fully and, iairly the railroads in
New Mexico had nothin to withhold
from the commission or the public.
The first witness sworn was
George w. Oliver, statistician whose
business it is to know every detail of
the business and be able to give de-
tails Of cost OF production in what
ever industry ships freight over the
railroad with which he is connected
Mr.. Oliver has been with the Santa
Fe many years. His testimony was in
trrsl,ng even to the layman. lie
first went into the cost of hauling
freight and outlined first the cost
at both the terminals and second
along the line. The terminal cost of
freight was the same in the
short and long haul business. The
intrastate is even in New Mexico
largely short hauls, the average haul
being about Is miles, while in in
tersta,e traffic freight handled at
terminals is hauled SIS miles or %
times as far. Mr.. Oliver pointed out
that intrastate traffic in New Mex
co produced insufficient revenue to
pay the operating expenses and
axes properly assignable to the San
"a Fe's intrastate traffic. The deficit
ior the calendar year of 1916 was
s325,2l6.33.
Mi. Oliver testified that the cost
,i everything used by railroads had
advanced rapidly in the last year.
Fuel, for instance had gone up 25.l6
Der cent. The Santa Fe increase in
.uel cost the last year, assignable to
New Mexico intrastate traffic alone,
vas $59,694.3l. He went into detail
IS to increase in cost of wages, mate
.ial and supplies. The Santa Fe's to-
al increase during the year is 1884,
A8.54, assignable to New Mexico in
rastate traffic.
General Freight Agent J. R. Koon-
z was next sworn. He testified at
ome length as to coal rates which
ire claimed to be higher than in ad-
dining states. Mr.. Koontz read into
he record comparisons between sta
ions in New Mexico and of rates
n Colorado and from Colorado to
Kansas points. A few typical cases
reed only be cited. The rate from
Ration to Watrous, 81 miles, is ST.
S per ton. The rate from Canon
-Iity, to Buxton Colorado, 90 miles,
S $3.50 per ton. IS cents higher
han in New Mexico.