Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-08-20

"Then Montana will benefit only BY
suffering no further raise in raLes!"
asked Mr.. Toomey.
Mr.. Mount, who appeared in the
character of an expert witness for the
railroads, was questioned on direct ex-
animation by Elmer Westlake.. of San
Francisco, attorney for the Southern
Pacific, and appearing for the car ar
riers, and was cross examined by Mr.
Toomey and H. A. Davis, of Boston,
representing the Boston Wool Trade
association for the protestants.
Others who attended the hearing
were Railroad Commissioners Lee Den
mis- and Daniel Boyle. Fl. B. Schaefer.
rate expert of the Montana commits.
sion, mad H. H. Pigott, secretary of
the Montana Wool Growers assocla-
ton.
Roads Need Business to Exist.
Mr.. Mount explained that competi-
ton between boats and railroads from
Pacific coast ports had become very
keen, that the boats were charging ~
cents per hundred on wool N - bales
from Seattle to Boston and $1.25 on
wool in sacks. and to meet this the rail
roads were asking a reduction to $l.55
in bales and $1.70 in sacks.
He said the boats were carrying the
bulk of the shipments and that during
the first seven months Of 1871 they
had carried from Portland 9.917O14
pounds, and from Seattle, 2,353,24l
pounds. with considerable. from San
Francisco and Los Angeles. while the
Union Pacific had carried from Port
land only 3.O21,214 pounds. He said
it had become evident that if the rail
roads were to secure any Of this busl-
ness their application must be granted.
Coast Ports Not in Wool Area
He showed that this boat traffic
has drawn the shipments from points
as far as 75O to 500 miles east OF
Portland. including Pocatello, Idaho.
with q little from Montana, and read
figures of the Northern Pacific, show
ing that from Jan. l, 1920, until June
81. 1921. it had hauled east by all-rail
route from Montana points ,467
mounds of wool and had only shipped
west for the steamship route 22.974
pounds.
On cross examination he stated that
very little wool was produced near the
Pacific coast points and that 50 or
80 per cent Of the Washington wool
was produced east of the Cascade
mountains.
He said that in addition to the boat
rate, the incidental cost per hundred
pounds for marine insurance and other
expenses via the boat route on baled
wool was about 25 cents and with a
differential of 20 cents, the railroads
could control a portion of the ship
ments, but that with a 5O-cent differ
entail they could not expect to get
any of it. :,
The only argument in favor of the
reduction in rates as appealing to ship
pers in the interior which the witness
could offer was that the interior would
be benefited in that if the railroads
were unable to obtain any of this coast
business the burden of their operations
must fall upon the interior.
Two Montana Points Benefit.
He stated that on July % there was
approximately 100000 pounds of
wool at Portland and this amount had
doubtless been increased in the mean
time to 2OOOO.OOO. According to his
tables of rates the stations of Dixon
and Ravalli were the only Montana
points which would secure any advan-
tage by shipping their wool to the
coast.
II. T. Pigott, when called to the
stand. said that if the sheep industry
in Montana is to survive the railroads
will have to make some contribution.
He said the Montana grower asks
that at least a proportion of the pro-
posed reduction be granted to them.
He explained that the Montana woods
of 1920 cost between 50 and 60 cents
delivered in Boston and that it sold