The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-01-29
Important Hearing Involving Use Of
Switch Track in Former Lumber
Yard District Was Held
Here.
rs UNDER AMUSEMENT
Briefs viii be Presented by Counsel
Following Oral Arguments Which
Were Made Yester.
day.

An important session of the board
I of railroad commissioners OF Iowa, to-
gerher with local men and attorneys
and railroad officials was held In
Keokuk ar the Hotel Iowa yesterday.
The hearing had TO do with the use OF
3 spur switch track in the old lumber
yard district The hearing was COM
pleted late last evening, and the OIL
Iciais returned 10 their homes. Attor-
tneys in the case will submit briefs
for use of the board which has the
case under Amusement. !.
| Dwight L Lewis Chairman, and
John A. Guiher, raih uad commits
Esioner were hers, together with J. H
Henderson OF Indianola, commerce
counsel Colonel Howard general
superintendent of the Missouri divi-
sion OF the Burlington and SupeTin-
5tendent Lamb of Hannibal. were
among the railroad men here, besides
q number OF other Burlington officials
and railroad engineers.
According 20 the evidence presented
ito the board, thirty or forty years ago,
prior to 1915 the Taber Lumber COM
fpany had 2 stub switch running from
the main Burlington track down into
THE yards, which was used as a load
:
Der yard. mills and the like Since
then the company has gone out OF the
lumber manufacturing business IN this
district, has established a lumber
( yard On Main street and built plants
and sheds across the tracks for the
building OF silos and the storing OF
/ surplus lumber.
| Switch Is Extended
| Then they sold or leased part Of
the old lumber yards and buildings
10 the Iowa Can company and 10 the
Gas Tank Recharging company. Per
mission was granted By the city coun-
ell to extend the stub switch TO serve
the Iowa Can company plant
This company's business it was de
ciared before the commission has
grown from some so cars in 1917 to
So cars in 1919 The lumber COM
psay it was said, wanted TO retain
| this stub switch as place - lead and
unload cars with teams. i.;1 20 haul
the material across both the Barring
ton and Rock Island tracks 10 the
sflo plant To continue this practice
would interfere with the free ship
mert OF cars 70 the can plant, 1t was
contended and as there was from six
Ee-EI EENL 10 EALy ACCl Space DE
tween the Burlington main track and
this switch, the railroad company
held that it was dangerous TO have
teams IN this small space. They held
that passengers might be injured and
trains wreck &c ii the teams were
.stanpe6ed and objection also was
made TO the fact that the teams must
haul across Ewo tracks.
Order Is Given.
Last August the Burlington served
notice on the lumber company 10
discontinue the use OF this track for
unloading purposes because OF the
danger. The lumber company ap
peaIed 10 the railroad commissioners
OF the state for an order requiring the
railroads 10 cancel this order and for
permission to use It as before.
The proceedings yesterday were the
ou-growth Of this appeal, and the COM
missioners came here 10 investigate
the subject matter, and to view the
switch and the tracks IN question
The testimony was taken in the case
and the board returned 10 Des Ioinss
TO take the case under adyisement.
Helm sworth and Blood represented
the Taber Lumber Co, Palmer Trim
bic and r T. Hughes the Burlington
and the director general of railroads.