Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-10-09

Interest of the Missouri Pacific Rail-
road In the Lower Rio Grande Valley
is genuine, President L. W. Baldwin, told
Commissioner Themas F. Woodlock at
the Interstate Commerce Commissio
hearing here today.
Mr.. Baldwin was the principal wit
sess for the objector, the Missouri Pa
cific and allied lines, to the petition of
the Southern Pacific for permission of
the Commission to extend it's lines into
the Valley.
Dave Oulette. of st. Louis, Missouri
Pacific superintendent of transporta-
tion, outlined movement of trains carry
ing valley perishables to northern mar
kets, and asserted that plans are being
made to perfect what he termed an al
ready excellent service.
Mr.. Baldwin in the course of his state
ment declared the Missouri Pacific is
not aligned in opposition to the people
of the Valley. On the contrary, he
said "our attitude is sympathetic"
We do not blame the people," he
said, "for desiring another railroad on
the assumption they are getting some-
thing for nothing"
He termed efforts of the Southern
Pacific to extend it's S. A. & A. p. line
south from Falfurrias into this territory
as plan to directly duplicate exist
ing, adequate railroad facilities, which,
he asserted, would violate one of the
primary purposes of the transportation
act.
Replies to Scott
In reply to a previous assertion which
is attributed to W. R. Scott, president of
the Texas and Louisiana lines of the
Southern Pacific, that the. attitude of
the Missouri Pacific is s-inconsistent in
this hearing in contrast to it's attitude
in other contests relating to projected
railroad construction, the witness in
sisted that if the Missouri Pacific had
not acquired the Gulf Coast Lines, the
Missouri Pacific's arteries in the Valley,
that, those lines would now be in the
hands of some other party"
We are ready to develop with the
Valley" Mr.. Baldwin said at another
point in his testimony, and added that
I'VE are constantly improving facil-
tiles" Moreover, he said, we know
that every reasonable necessity thus
far has been met.
He outlined what had been done in
construction work at a cost, he indicated
Of several millions of dollars and fol-
lowed it with the statement that not
only freight service but passenger train
facilities had been increased. He had in
his possession hundreds of letters, he
said, from Valley resident commencing
the system for such a STEP
Bell Objects
j. r. Bell, of Washington, commerce
counsel for the Southern Pacific, OBJ
jected to that part of the testimony be-
cause, he said. the letters themselves
would be the best evidence. Frank An
drews, of Houston, counsel for the
Southern Pacific, told the commissioner
he would not insist upon that feature
of the testimony being allowed to stand
but in defense Of the witness desired
to tell the court that President Scott
had made a similar statement. In the
course of the discussion, Mr.. Bell re-
marked that the Missouri Pacific had
written TO Valley residents for commen-
datOry letters. ]. H. Tallichet, Houston,
Southern Pacific attorney, attempted
to pour oil on the troubled waters by
w1lhdrawing Mr.. Bells comment from
the record. Mr. Bell asserted that he
would not withdraw "any comment
may make" and the subject rested