San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-07
Commission to Forward
Proceedings in Case With
out Comment.
PYEATT ON STAND
Gulf Coast President Claims
Merger Would Aid
Towns Served.


in the hearing OF the protest by San
Antonio and other interests against
the acquisition of the /. G. y. by
the Gulf Coast Lines will probably
go to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission without recommendation from
the Texas Railroad Commission. This
was indicated this morning when
Chairman Clarence l.. Gilmore, of
the railroad commission. who is hear
ing the protest. stayed that he thought
such a recommendation would be i'm
proper. Judge Nelson Phillips. for
mer chief justice Of The supreme court
who is Representing; certain of the pre-
tcstants, asked the commission how
ever. to reserve decision on this mat
ter until all the evidence is in.
Chairman Gilmore said that the COM
mission had been asked to file s6ch
recommendations as il might see fit
and transmit the record TO the Inter
state Commerce Commission. but VIC
feel that it would be improper to COM
ply with this request"
Expect to Alter VieV.
Judge Phillips. in his request for
delay in such decision declared that
after the evidence in IL believe there
will be things that will make such a
recommendation highly proper
/. 1t is expected that Monday will be
consumed in presentation of the ease
of the Gulf Coast Lines whose .prin-
cipal witness is j. :. pyeatt. presi-
dent. San Antonio is the chief OPP
ponent of the merger. is not expected
fn INN t,,o- M nv
Wednesday.
Opening of the hearing was delayed
until 10 80 because of the delay in
the arrival of train from Houston.
Chairman Gilmore said that though
he and Commissioners Walter Splawn
and w. A. Majors would sit today.
the hearing would be carried on be-
ginning tomorrow with only Commits
sioner Snlawn present as the regular
commission docket comes up that
day.
Call FOR announcement of those in
tcrestcd in the hearing deveioped that
sentiment as represented was over
whelmingly against the merger. APP
pearing for the Gulf Coast Lines was
Mr.. Pycatt, John Mobley and Frank
Andrews. The only other interest an
nouncing as favorable to the merger
was Ed L. Byers representing the
Fort Worth Freight Bureau and
Frank Kell. one of the owners of the
s. A. L. & g.
Pyeatt Is First Witness.
Opponents were Phillips, Pollard,
Higgins, KaFser and Liddell, repre-
senting Palestine and East Texas in
terests; Claude V. Birkhead of Birk-
head and Lang of San Antonio. rep
resenting the San Antonio\ and Aus
tin Chambers of Commerce, the San
Antonio Traffic Bureau. the towns OF
Mission. San Juan, Alamo.
Weslaco and others and about 100
odd individuals and associations. L.
A. Eldridgc. represented the Sugar
land Railway and former Governor
Joseph ID. Sayers the Sugarland town.
site. W. A. Keeling. state attorney
general. filed a protest for the state
of Texas. The Texas Company flied a
request that IL the application be
granted certain conditions be imposed
while G, L. Edwards of Kansas City.
and J. W. Brady of Austin, appeared
as judgement creditors of the I-G. N.
having lien on the property sought
TO be ACQUIRED.
]. $. Pyeatt. president of the Gulf
Coast Lines was the first witness TO
take the stand. His 2S years railroad
experience. twelve of which was with
Texas roads, he said made him fam |
iliar with the Southwest Texas sit |
uation. The acquisition of the l.
G. y. he said, is desirable both from |
the standpoint of the road and the
public.
Wants to Control Mexican Traffic.
The main factor he said is TO give /
his line control of the strategic posi-
ton of the I-G. n. as a Mexican
route. The present Gulf Coast route |
to Mexico he said, is somewhat OBJ
scure. Mexico, he said. is largely |
served through the Laredo gateway.
The present Brownsville route he ex-
is bcset with difficulties on
account of heavy valley traffic and the
Texas Mexico route is used. Fifty
per cent of the Mexican traffic he
said, moves via Laredo because it
has main line Mexican connections.
by controlling the 1-G. y. and
Laredo route" Mr.. Pyeatt said. "in
conjunction with the Gulf Coast Lines
We could strengthen and improve our
Mexican situation. The owners of the
5ulf Coast Lines feel that when the
.haotic conditions in Mexico are
feared IN the Mexican traffic will
1