White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-03-30
ANOTHER HEARING ON
WENATCHEE SOUTHERN

WENATChEE SOUTHERN
The Interstate Commerce Com.
mission, in a telegram last Sunday
to Edward S. Russell, president OF
the Wenatchee Southern railroad
said that another hearing had been
ordered on the application of the
proposed road for a certificate OF
necessity and convenience.
In the face Of all the evidence
already presented to the commits
sion, no one except the commission
itself seems to understand the nee
essity for another hearing. 1t is
believed that another hearing will
delay the building of the road at
least another year. Down in this
valley this delay will not be serious
although at the present rate of
growth it will not he long before
the road will be a necessity here.
But up in the Wenatchee valley,
where the growers have literally
lost millions because of lack of
sufficient transportation facilities,
the postponement amounts to a
tragedy. The Wenatchee Daily
World, in the editorial printed be-
low. voices the sentiment of every
one interested in the Wenatchee
Southern. from Pasco and Kenne-
wick to Wenatchee. The editorial
follows:
"The greatest shock the people of
Central Washington have had for a
long time will land with the an
nouncement in the Daily World to-
day that the Interstate Commerce
Commission would call for re-
hearing in the Wenatchee Southern
matter With the evidence at hand
that millions during the past sever
al years had been lost on account
of inadequate transportation, that
millions. had been lost by freezing.
that millions had been lost by over
heating, that the transportation
problem hits deep into the pocket
book of every man, woman and
chlld in this section of the state.
and with the action of the oranges.
the commercial bodies of this part
of the state, with the recommenda-
tion of the governor of the state.
with the recommendation Of the
board of public utilities, with the
urgent request Of Senators Jones
and Poindexter, and the unanimous
request of 100000 people in Gen.
tral Washing ton-the Interstate
Commerce Commission. assuming
that tie people Of this country
don't know what, they are talking
about. says We'll have to have an
other hearing on this question
"The Interstate Commerce Com
mission had not been asked to build
this line, you understand. All that
was wanted was a certificate of
necessity and convenience to let
the Wenatchee Southern build it's
own line. This country must have
an outlet to take care of its increas-
ing business.
1T has Teen paying for service
paying the highest kind of rates
presumably fer the best servioe on
earth-paying for the perishable
rate for fruit and receiving service
rs if it were on.perishable.
"The question arises as to wheth-
er the people of this country have
any rights at all that the Interstate
Commerce Commission is bound to
respect. This proposition has been
delayed and delayed and delayed.
Now the proposal of the Interstate
CommerceCommission Is to delay
it again.
"When the story goes out in to-
days Daily World telling of the ac-
tion of the Commission, we know
where there are at least 100000
outraged people who would like to
get at something down ct the na-
tional capital and rroceed to turn
it upside down and wrong side out.
and hit it in the face, and kick it
in the pants, aid pulver;ze it into
powder, and then proceed to get at
this Thing which stands in the way
of the ZONES Of these people.
"The call for rehearing is un.
necessary delay. 1t is inexcusable.
You know it, The members of the
Interstate Commerce Com nj 8 OH
know it. For they have the evil
dence. The inference naturally
con- es that there is tco much inf J.
en,e of some kind or other down at
Washington.
I'm the face Of this demand fer
rehe airing, the question naturally
arises: why is an Interstate Com
merce Commission anyway
both Senators jones and Poin.
dexter declared that if this certifi
cate was not granted, they would
see in such decision sufficient rca-
son to take away this power from
the Commission. We know we are
vo;o;po, ~ a ooptimonfc nf ~ Ia non