Show AN IMPORTANT I DAY fOR UTAH I r Everything Is In Readiness for Hearing the Complaint of the People Concerning Treat Treatment Treatment Treatment ment by the Railroads RAILROADS SEND THEIR MOST EMINENT COUNSEL Commissioner Prouty Arrives to Hear the Testimony and the Tr Traffic Bureau Is Ready to Begin Great Battle RAILROADS ARE ANXIOUS With the arrival in Salt lake last night of Charles A Prouty of Ver Vermont VerI Vermont I mont a member of the interstate commerce commission to participate in the rate hearing which opens in inthis inI inthis I this city today practically all the not notables notables ables who will take part in the in inquiry inquiry inquiry were on the ground Mr Prouty accompanied by Morris W Knowlton his stenographer reached the city shortly after 8 having come from the east eastover eastover eastover over the Union Pacific and went at once to the Wilson hotel where rooms I had been reserved for him lum himI I Commissioner Prouty muty said he had not notI I read the complaint or the answer in the Salt Lake case but Is familiar with ith the rate controversy Involving the inland intend and the coast dUes cities and expressed himself hIm elf elfIn In a manner mariner similar to Commissioner Com mIssioner Clark who reached the city Monday even evening evening ing saying that the question que involved in the Utah qa was w as a very important one more mort Important in fact than any which has occupied eec pied his attention on any of his official visits to this city in the past There was a rumor in circulation last night that Commissioner Prouty might not be present at af the Salt Lake hearing the report having baving reached the ears of say sav JV eral persons interested In the hearing When informed that there had been some doubt expressed expreSS d as to his arrival Mr Ir Prouty Prout smiled and said Just tell leU them that we w do not arrange a hearing for a certain date unless we Int Intend ltd d to be there ther at that time I Had Good Trip Mr Pr tv Jet Vermont last Jut Saturday S tW U We WaBe ft a good trip through three h the east and aDd he did not appear to be wear weary after the tl long journey I have hae been here bere several times said the commissioner and at other seasons of the year Y ar but I do not recall any of my previous visits when the weather was ws wasso wasSo so cold here It was quite warm in Oma Omaha Omaha Omaha ha but we struck colder weather coming through the mountains and ran into two snowstorm Speaking of the hearing which starts in the federal building today and of its importance to the parties to the case Commissioner Prouty said saidI T I have not read the complaint in the Salt Lake case or the answer The members of the tM commission slon however are familiar in a general genral way with these cases involving the inland and the coast cities Practically the same question Is encountered in th thi case brought by b Spokane Spokane Spokane kane the Reno case and the case of or Maricopa county of which Phoenix is the central point The cases involve much Interest and mean a great deal of money to the railroads and just as much of course to the people Mr r Prouty paid his last visit to Salt Lake prior to the present one in an of official official capacity about two years ears ago at that time looking into the question of the ownership of coal lands by railroads The interstate commerce commission had been instructed by congress to Inquire Into the ownership of coal lands hands by the railroads and Mr Prouty came here at that time to Investigate the ownership of Wyoming lands by the Union Pacific rail railroad railroad railroad road Often Been Here Before Prior to that visit Commissioner Prouty Prout had been here In connection with other investigations conducted by the commis commissioner commissioner commissioner but these were of a minor na no nature nature ture the commissioner saying that the hearing scheduled for today was the most Important which the commission yet has had in this city Concerning the time that probably will willbe willbe ill be 00 consumed in the Salt Lake I ake hearing little can be said definitely Mr Prouty Prout said he desired to leave the city Friday afternoon that he might go to Portland for a day before going to Spokane but nothing can be said In advance as to the probable length of the session Ion It Jt Itis Itis is the custom to put in between five and six hours work at the hearings and the sessions hero probably will last from 10 a m ni to about 1239 1230 and from 2 to 5 In case the hearing Is not concluded by Friday afternoon and satisfactory ar arrangements cannot be made for completing ing it without his attendance Commis Commissioner Commissioner Prouty will remain here until the hearing is concluded Attorney C C Dey who will represent the people of Utah in presenting the th charges against the railroads into which the Interstate commerce commission will make Inquiry and S H II Babcock com corn commissioner missioner of the local traffic bureau through which the hearing is brought have completed all their arrangements for their part in the great legal fight which the hearing Is expected to bring out The representatives representative of the traffic bureau were busily engaged up to last night getting their case In proper shape for presentation and it is said that the bureau Is ready to present a strong ar Continued Continue on Page 2 p i 1 IMPORTANT DAY D l FOR UTAH Il Continued from Page 1 ray Ti Of facts ac t to the commissioners who will conduct the hearing Eminent Railroad Counsel On the other hand the great legal lights of the Union Pacific and other roads which are concerned in the case were in conference during a portion of ot the time timp Tuesday going over the ground and It is said that the railroad counsel will wilt en deavor to present pre ent their strongest this the case on start of ot the commissioners ses ass on the present western tour The counsel for the railroads includes the brainiest legal minds In the employ of the various lines C F P Dillard of ot Chi cago interstate commerce attorney for the various Harriman lines will have charge of ot th tho the conduct ot of the defense for tor the railroads white th the members mem rs of ot the legal departments of the various roads will be here to give what assistance 8 l tance they can A large number of railroad men representing various vanous lines operating In the west had arrived in the city Monday londay to watch the developments In the hear ing and the number was increased Tues day It is said that the of so many of the railroad notables is evi dence of the fact that the Salt Lake hear ing lug is looked upon as one of ot the most important that the railroads have had before the commission R It W Phillips of Washington official court reporter for the Interstate commerce commission In all Its legal proceedings and Benjamin Gotthelf Gotthelt of or New York his assistant arrived in Salt Lake to be on hand Monday for the big railroad hear ing Mr Phillips and Mr Gotthelf havo have the unique reputation of turning out daily dally copy which Is to say M that all work no matter how heavy that is placed in their hands by the commission lon is ready read for them the next day Mr lIr Gotthelf said to be the fastest typewriter In is Amer ica lea and Mr Phillips has a similar tation tatton as court reporter I |