Montana labor news., 1933-05-25

signees Of both freight and express
are compelled to engage the services
of bootleg" truck and automobile OPP
orators was n of the many highlight
facts brought out Tuesday and We'd
nesday at an open hearing held at the
Silver Bow County Courthouse dur
ing the application of Tierney Broth
ers Company for a freighting fran
chise between Butte, Belgrade and
Bozeman before the Montana State
Railroad Commission. The testimony
presented before the state commission
revealed that at least seven differ
ent non-licensed motor truck oper-
ators are handling consignments be-
tween the state metropolis and Boze-
man.
Another important feature Of the
hearing showed that in various in
stances that express shipments were
20 hours in delivery between Butte
and Bozeman and one piece Of docu-
mentary evidence was introduced
showing that an automobile tire from
Salt Lake via Butte to Bozeman was
100 hours in transit.
Tierney Brothers, reputable con-
tractors for many years in Montana
presented the unqualified endorsement
of the Silver Bow Trades and Labor
assembly, the Knights of Columbus
and scores of old established business
houses in the zone to be served.
During the examination Of j. c.
North of Spokane, manager of the
railway express for Butte ozeman
zone, he agreed that the Northern
Pacific Railway company, Directing to
the Tierney franchise, never has made
any official objection of 0 reliable
bootleg truckers and in reply to a
cross question by Attorney E. A.
Toomey, agreed that if inadequate
service by the rail carriers did not
exist, there would be absolutely no
need of the present fleets Of bootleg
truckers.
The hearing was conducted by State
Railroad commissioners Thomas Cary
and Leonard Young with the commits
sion attorney Frank Silver in attend
ance. Mr.. Toomey of Helena and
Clarence Hanley of Butte represented
Tierney Brothers.
The trend of the testimony show
ed that the bootleg truck operators
are now receiving the cream of the
shipping business even though the
| shipper is guaranteed no protection
and that the only evenu the State
of Montana is receiving is the price
of the truck licence plate.
"The agents of the railroad are
firmly protesting against a high
grade firm operating under a full Ii
cense fee with full protection to all
concerned, but at this hearing they
have not produced n iota OF EVIL
dence showing that they have at any
time presented any official objections
to the bootlegger," said Attorney
Toomey.
J.. H. johnson of Missoula, super
intendent of the Mountain division for
the Northern Pacific, testified that
during the past few years, the N. P.
has taken off four of the six trains
that formerly serviced this section
and on cross examination was some
what vague on answer to Nh. Toom-
ey relative ito freight service and
operating costs.
L. R. Challoner of Helena, freight
chief for the Butte Bozeman district
also testified against the granting OF
the Tierney application. During the
Challoner testimony, the attorneys for
the applicant presented a magazine
showing the illustration of a large
freight motor truck owned and OPP
Grated by the Northern Pacific rail-
way in Montana. Following a heated
tilt, the commission sustained the rail
objection for the admission of this
piece of evidence. However, the tes-
timony showed that the Northern Pa
cific operated motor freight trucks
between Billings and Miles City and
Billings and Bridger.
On cross examination Mr.. Challon-
er stated that the freight revenue in
the zone at issue showed a loss OF
about 40 per cent during the past
year. The rail distance from Butte