The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-07-24

anyways Oh the state. The cor
I'd of three stockholders who's,
<stock holdings were represented b,
their qualifying shares as directors
one of the stockholders and he wa.
named as president in their articles
lof Incorporation was at the time en-
gagged in trucking in Helena, and the
Two trucks he owned at the time, was
all OF the equipment in evidence when
complacent Public Service Commits
sion granted them the certificate. only
excepting the portion Of highway No
z, from Hayre east to the North Da-
kota line The complete list of high.
ways, over which this organization
was given practical control, by the
issuance of the Certificate of public
convenience and necessity" is printed
elsewhere in this article.
The incorporators and first officers
in the Independent Motor Carriers
were Van Brent who was then and
! still is, engaged in trucking business
| IN Helena; Lester II. Lobe of the
/ firm of Lobe and Adair, attorney in
Helena, and John e. Erickson, former
governor of Montana, now holding an
appointive job as attorney in the state
administration.
The Railroad and Public Service
Commission at the time this certifi-
cate of public necessity and conven-
fence" was granted was composed as
follows: Tom Carey, chairman; Jerry
j. O'Connell and Leonard H. Young.
1t may be borne in mind, that this
monopolistic control of the highways
by this new and apparently irrespon-
gsible corporation was approved by this
commission, day or two over two
weeks after the petition was filed.
Evidence Slim
When an individual or some organi-
cation petitions the Railroad and Pub
lie Service Commission for "certifi-
cate of public convenience and neces-
sity," the routine of procedure is that
this individual or organization, shall
present evidence to the Commission
of the existence of such necessity or
demand when the hearing is held,
which, under the law shall be not
less than 10 days after the filing of
the petition. In this case, the petition
was for Glass &C" certificate.
The files in the Railroad and Public
Service Commission in connection
with the granting of this certificate
of public convenience and necessity
disclose that the commission as con-
stituted at that time, showed the petit
TONERS great leniency to put it mild
ly, in what they required the petition
ers to show. For instance, paragraph
three of Section 3s4710 of the Mon
lana Motor Carrier Act provides 1.-THE
kind of transportation, the character
Of the goods, wares, merchandise or
to be distributed, TO-
iETHER WITH A FULL AND COM
PLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE
OF THE VEHICLE
DR. VEHICLES, INCLUDING THE
RATED TONNAGE CAPACITY OF
SUCH VEHICLES, TO BE USED IN
SUCH SERVICE OF DISTRIBUTION,
DELIVERY OR COLLECTION" This
requirement of the law, was evidently
overlooked in connection with the
of the certificate by the Com
mission insofar as a required state
nent of the transportation facilities
we're concerned.
Another interesting circumstance
md carrying peculiar implications re-
Inptfrp on q oh mt ~
ervice rendered by the commission is
he evidence submitted by the petit
toner's in support of their request.
letters recommending the granting of
he certificate are on file from the
GLOWING five firms all of Roundup,
don't: The Midland Coal and Lumber
company; Sinclair Produce Company;
Newton Transfer and Storage Com
any; Roundup Creamery Company;
awyer Stores, Inc. All of these let
7rs are Identical, word for word, and
he terminoligy used suggests that
Landard form of letter had been sup
lied.
In addition to the above, there were
yo letters from Great Falls. One of
lese was from the Great Falls Sport
g Goods Company and the other was
ON the Western Motor Company and
as more of letter of recommends
on for Mr.. Brent, the trucker who
as in the new corporation making
o application, than a recommended
On that the certificate be granted
: the commissioners to the corpora
IN.
1t appears significant, that the COM
issioners should accept these letters
recommendation from only two
ints in the state, and on them as
idence of public necessity and con-
nience, grant the certificate to the
rporation, covering every highway
the state. That may be action in
Q public's interest, but it has all the
rmarks of ignoring the possible
bile interest in favor of the interests
Continued on Page Four