Show IT ANIC BATTLE OV OVER R FREIGHT RATES OPENS IN SALT LAKE FRIDAY FRIDA y yBy By ByE E. E J David Attorney Examiner 4 Marshall of the Interstate corn corn- merce commission there willbe will willbe be staged next Friday In Salt Salta a ake one of the biggest battles ever against the railroads when ur local coal companies will try to damages totaling rom Irom e Denver Rio Grande and other The claims are based cased on the alle lalle- that the Denver Rio Grande is failed to supply sufficient cars for conveyance of coal from the ines and that the other railroads ve failed to furnish adequate num- num itt r sO that coal could be sent in dered de- de pred red quantity to points on their various va Ya- va- va rious us systems It is charged that the coal com corn anIes have suffered loss also als as a asuit suit sult 0 of the Denver Rio Grande in favor of Colorado Bines Ines in that it has provided sufficient sum cars for tor that field to the ne- ne lect of the Utah mines is tit further charged that the Dener Dent Den Den- er t Rio Grande has discriminated or favor of or the Utah Fuel company which it owns In supplying cars heed heed- heeded ed it has ignored the right- right l of the complainants for a proportion It of the rolling stock The Oregon Short Line is charged with Ith supplying all cars to the Rock Kock Springs Wyo co coal fields but it itSe Se alleged that it has failed to furnish seeded equipment for the Utah mines declaring that it II was not obligatory upon it to do so charged that owing to the in insufficient in- in I sufficient number of cars supplied business and industry has been re- re ded In Utah and the West gen- gen llY Il Utah ant and the W V West st have haye ex- ex fended greatly Within recent yeal's s is said the railroads have havened ned lied to progress with the times Umes R. R G. G SC SCORED RED un ln this respect t t. It Is said said- aId That five flye years last past the Den- Den RIO Rid Grande has failed neglect neglected neglected ne ne- ne- ne d and refused to keep in Iii step with rith the progress of th the country trav- trav and served by it The case Is attracting countrywide attention It is stated that members commissions in several se of I Western states will attend als alsi 1 that representatives of large industries industries indus indus- tries in the intermountain territory territory- I I ind on the Pacific coast will oe cc pr pros 1 ent Representatives from chambers I off Commerce and from om commercial fh me rt I will also o attend n I jit pit lIt lItis is expected f that lat it will take about ten da days dais s for all the evidence to The case for the cOmplainants com corn complainants has been prepared after aUer laborious effort one exhibit alone Ja taken several months to put The IThe complainants' complainants case will be in hands of H II i. 1 W. W traffic manager f of the traffic service ser bureau The exhibit to be filed will williorn E b. hillock in the courtroom at t the led ral building where the complaint be heart heard I In addition n to the general com coat plaint another complaint will be pre- pre i in which the coal companies seek k to obtain in a- a reduction on rates on coal to the Pacific r Reductions ns will be sought Bought on eight on coal destined from Irom the thel l- l Helper peI district to points on the OreT Ore- Ore T yon n Short Line and the Oregon Wash- Wash ton Railroad d anti and com com- any any- hILL iLL i'LL ASK REDUCTION the IThe The complaints will ask that the Inferential be removed in so BO far tar as asheS heS comparison between coal sent Km tOm Help Helper r and c coal al sent from tao lock ck Springs district is concerned At Present the tate rate fr from m Helper is 2 25 23 higher per r pounds than Hum on Wight conveyed to similar points rOm the Rock S Springs rings field The liThe complainants wilt will aiso alSO as asK that Ae het b be given an equal erual rate for the of coal to Pacific coast tints DintS At present coal costs a ship from Helper t to tb San Fran fECO it o and a ton tOll from Helper to toJ J It is asked that a rate a ton prevail to both points This is the rate from Rock to ortland and it is 25 cents r than the rate from rom Rock Brings to Spokane The IThe complainants contend that they re re entitled t to the tM reduction as a materiel mat mat- eriel Justice They state slate that coal fent mt nt East is based on equality in that are the same from Helper A from Kemmerer With such rates to the East th they y contend that there should be lie no difference on tariffs on the carriage of coal to the I Western points FOUR PLAINTIFFS I Four coal companies figure as the complainants in the two complaints They TIley are the Cameron Coal company the Independent Coal and Coke company com corn pany the Spring Canyon Coal company com corn pany and aid the Standard Coal company Jin The complaint relative to damages claimed m the ll and discrimination crimination al at- at to exist is exclusive of the comi complaint com com- i Plaint plaint regarding proposed a adjustment lj in rates I In the complaint in which damages are asked and in which discrimination I is sought to bo be removed the defendants are the Los Angeles Salt Lake liike railroad railroad rail rail- road the Oregon Short Line the Otei Ote- Ote i gon son Washington Railroad and I tion company the Southern Pacific the I Denver Rio Grande the Western Vestern Pacific Pacific Pacific Pa- Pa and the Union Pacific The Denver Denter Rio Grande is the I line carrying coal from the mines while the others are connecting lines DamI Dam Darn ages age are arc claimed on the score that the I Denver Demer Rio Crande Grande failed to supply sufficient cars and that the other railroads railroads rail rail- roads provide a fair quota for I i the movement of fuel to different I points I The complaint recites that your yourI our ourI I complainants have because of ot the matters matters mat mat- and things herein alleged suffered great loss and damage and seek rep rep- I as follows Section n 1 1 Loss and damage in the Increased cost of the coal produced and shipped from their r respective mines minE's and which increased cost was the di direct direct direct di- di result of expenses incurred from enforced idleness and hi increased eased e expenses ex ex- in cost coet while running and op operating op- op at irregular Intervals all of which loss and damage was the re result re- re sult suit of the want of cars and transportation transportation tation facilities as h herein mentioned Sec See 2 Loss and damage suffered in inthe the Increased d cost of coal produced and shipped because of Df the limited tonnage tonnage tonnage ton ton- nage so shipped and the necessity of apportioning thereon all of the overhead overhead over over- head managing and sales expenses Sec 3 Loss and damage suffered through the inability of your complainants complain complain- ants to n realize alize the profits on the coal sold old by them and which coal the they could not load or deliver because of the want of cars and transportation facilities ties lies as aforesaid DAMAGES ASKED I I Damages are asked for such shortcomings short- short I i comings of the railroads in September I October and November 1915 in Januj Janu- Janu j I ary February August September Oci October Oc- Oc i tober tuber November and December 1916 J i and in January and February 1917 I To total of is mad madS Up of I the following claims Cameron Coal I company Independent Coal and Coke Company Spring I Canyon C Coat Coal al company 1 I Standard Coal company An order is asked against till all the I defendants r requiring them t 5 supply all cars needed and to lo cease tim I If the If he Interstate commerce commission commis commis- I slon sion grants the prayer of the comI complainants com corn ants it means that considerable I relief if not an absolute solution t to toI coal car shortage will wUl be provided I The paragraph in the complain dealing deal deal- ing Specifically with this question which is of ot paramount interest to the community which Will undoubtedly suffer hardships through not obtaining obtaining obtain obtain- ing Ink coal on account of the cars not being made available this winter fol follows follows follows fol- fol lows lows- That the defendants and each Cach of them cease and desist during times of car shortage from front discriminating against your complainants by giving I undue preference and advantage to other industries and nd enterprises that during such times of car shortage the I available cars locomotives and facilities ties lies in the service of said defendants be apportioned and distributed fairly and equitably among all of the Industries Industries industries Indus Indus- tries and enterprises served by them without giving ing any pr preference ference or advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage to one industry enterprise or 01 business over any other r industry en enterprise enterprise en- en or business and without givIng givIng giving ing one company corporation or concern concern concern con con- cern preference or advantage over any other company corporation or concern or one locality preference over any other locality or any commodity over any other commodity except t as specifically specifically specifically provided by law RAILWAYS NAMED The amended complaint In the petition petition petition peti peti- tion for fOI the reduction In rates on coal from the r district to points in California C Colorado loradO Idaho Kansas Montana Nebraska a Oregon and Washington Wash Wash- ington is directed against the following following follow follow- ing railroads The Tho Atchison Topeka Santa Fe the Butte Anaconda Pacific Railway company the Gamas Prairie Railroad company the Chicago Chicago Chi Chi- cago Rock Island the Colorado Colo Cob rado Midland the Colorado Southern South South- em ern the Denver Rio Grande the Great Northern the Los Angeles Salt Lake the Northern Pacific the Oregon Oregon Oregon Ore Ore- gon Short Line the Oregon WashIngton Wash Wash- ington Railroad Navigation company com corn pany the Pacific Idaho Northern railway the Pacific Electric Railway company the Southern Pacific the Spokane ane Portland Seattle Railway company the Union Pacific and the Western Vestern Pacific railroads With the conclusion of or evidence and andI the filing of briefs and other data including the findings of the examiner I it is expected that several months will elapse e before the Interstate comI commerce com com- I merce commission will hand hanl down a aI decision I |