The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-12-01
EXAMINER HOWARD OF
WASHINGTON is IN CHARGE
Mass Of Evidence Presented by
Both Sides in Endeavor to
Convince Interstate Com
merce Commission.

A hearing to determine whether
or not the branch line of the North
ern Pacific railroad in Bayfield, coun-
ty, known as the Battleaxe and run
ming from Iron River to Washburn,
will be abandoned has been held at
the Court House in this city the
past week. Both sides have had doz-.
ems of witnesses to show to the Com
mission both sides Of the case.
With Special Examiner Howard
Hosmer, Of Washington, d. G., rep,
resenting the Interstate Commerce
Commission, presiding with the Hon:
Chas. F. Morris, Distrist Attorney for
Bayfield, County and Hon w F. Shea,
of, Ashland, fianked for the day by
C. E. Schrieber, representing the
Wisconsin State Railroad Commits
sion, fighting to prevent the scrap
ping Of the Battle Axe branch of the
Northern Pacific, and with for1pid-
able legal battery representing the
railroad, the hearing which will bring
out the evidence which will effect the
ruling of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, began Monday morning
Monday was the Northern Pa
.cifc's day in the introduction of evil
dence and General Solicitor G. ].
Lyon of that system was there in
person, together with the Hon. Louis
Hanitch of Superior to conduct the
introduction of evidence on the part
of the railroad. A lot Of other i'm
portant Northern Pacific men were
there too in the persons of Supt. w.
H. Strachan, Assistant General Au-
ditor G. J. Mayer, Assistant Chief
Engineer P. E. Than, Executive, As
sistant j. Fl. Poore, Travelling
Freight and Passenger Agent N. D.
Harding, and number of others
not so high in company authority,
but nevertheless important cogs of
the Northern Pacific machinery. 4.
The hearing for Monday continu-
ed until $50 Monday evening and
most of Tuesday and Wednesday
were consumed in the completion
of the hearing.
A large portion of the time at the
Mondays session was taken up with
the direct and cross examinations of
G.. j. Mayer, Assistant General -Au-
ditor of the Northern Pacific, ]. H.
Poore, Executive Assistant and P.
E. THAN, Assistant Chief Engineer.
The latter witnesses consumed the
larger portion of the time and told of
a trip he had made over the territory
effected by the road. A lot of photo
graphs taken for him on that trip
were introduced in evidence to show
the general character of the territory
served by the Battle Axe.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the
County's side of the case was pre-
sented by witnesses who attempted
to show. the great damage to the
county that would be done by the
removal of the road and many wit
nesses were put on the stand, show
! ing the agricultural development done
and expected to be done, how the re-
moval of the road would effect land
values, and genera. survey of the
territory was presented. s
Hundreds Of people attended the
hearing and the case was well pre-
sented by both sides, but it is diff
fcult to reason just how the COM
mission will review the findings.
If Bayfield, county looses the road
it will not be because fight was not
made. If the commission allows the
road to be abandoned it will be the
rankest kind of injustice that could
be handed to the people of region
dependent upon railroad,