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Show FURTHER REDUCED RATESSUEEESTED Cutting of Tariff Between Mis-souiaRiyeiaiitl Mis-souiaRiyeiaiitl .D.enyer and Utah Points.' COMMISSIONER PROUTY MAKES THE SUGGESTION Establishment of New Division Point Would Raise Wrath of Salt Lake. DENVER, Jan. 23. The hearing before Interstalo Commerce Commissioner Charles A. Prouty on tho complaints of the Merchants' Traffic association and George J. KIndcl, . manufacturer, alleging alleg-ing Illegal discrimination against Denver Den-ver by the trunk Hue railroads in freight tariffs, wns concluded this afternoon. The most Important development today wns tho suggestion by Mr. Prouty that the local rates between Missouri river points and Denver, and Denver and Utah points be reduced Instead of establishing a new basic division point at Denver as usked for by the petitioners If this were done without a corresponding reduction In the through rate, ho thought It would give a measure of relief to Denver without with-out great harm to other points. J. A. Mcroe of the I'nion Pacific railway, rail-way, who was on tho stand ct adjournment adjourn-ment yesterday, resumed lhe witness stand "this morning. He announced that the Union Pacific now had a new tariff In the hands of the printers, making a material reduction In the rates to Denver. Den-ver. Me thought this new tariff would go Into effect about March. The matter of water competition to the Pacific coast was brought up and the commissioner Intervened to explain that water competition wns roal and existed by way of Cape Horn and by tho Isthmus of Teiiuan tepee. Mr Prouty Instructed Mr. Monroe to Hie with the commission an approximate statement of what loss would occur to tho Union Pacific, together with the changes in rates and what places would bo affected by these changes If a reduction reduc-tion In freight on fourth-class matter from the Missouri river to Denver is made to ?l. Testimony for the Defense. George 11. Crosby, freight i raffle manager man-ager of tho Chicago, Burlington & Qulncy, was the next witness. Attorney Joel F. Vallo conducted the examination of this witness for the railroads. Mr. Valle (lied several tables on which hc aucs-tloncd aucs-tloncd the witness, showing that the rate per ton per inllo wan less to Denver than It wns to .Salt Ijakc and Ogdn Mr. Crosby ."luted that from 66 lo 75 per cent of the freight received a I the various towns on the Burlington road in Colorado was received from Denver. Mr. Crosbv called attention to the fact thai the city was able to ship mining machinery machin-ery lo all points of lhe world. Canned goodo also were shipped from Denver to all points. In spite of the alleged excessive ex-cessive freight rates. Tie said he considered consid-ered Denver a prosperous city, but acknowledged ac-knowledged lhal tho tonnage of freight shipped into Colorado and Deliver h:i not Increased In the snnio proportion as the toimoso Increase of the re.il of the country. II. A. Gower. traffic manager of the Chicago. Rock Island & Paciilc. was the next witness. He eald that the same complnlntH as Denver made were made bv cities all ever the United States. Ho filed tables tending to show lhal tho earnings of the Rock Island were loo low even with the present lorlff- shoot. Fred Wild Takes Stand. Fred Wild. Jr.. general freight- agent' of the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, was the llrst witness at the afternoon session. ses-sion. He filed tables lo show there had lift ail a Beiim-pl roiluntlon nf fralulit. ra.tiu! on the Rio Grande railroad within 'the. last, year hetween Colorado common . points and Utah common points. Mr. Wild stated that the Denver fc Rio Grande made Its rates on commodities shipped from Denver. Den-ver. 62i per cent of the rates charged for goods from Missouri river common i points to Utah , common points. This Is the same percentage allowed the Rio Grande on goods shipped through Denver over Its lines from Missouri river points to Utah common points Questioned by the commissioner, Mr. Wild said that the rate on closs goods was not figured on this basis, as It would reduce the 'revenues of the railroad lop much. Rate to Ogden 140 Per'tJent. It was brought out that, the rate from Donver to Ogden was SO per cent of the through rate on all classes and commodities commodi-ties and the rate on the same goods from Omaha to Denver was 60 per cent of the through rate. Therefore, where goods were broken In bulk at Denver and transshipped trans-shipped to Ogden, the total cost was 110 per cent of the through rate. Mr. Prouty asked If It would not be possible to cut down this per cent to about 120 per cent of the through rate. Mr. Wild said he would be willing to meet with the traffic manager of tlie Union Pacific railroad to discuss such a matter. Salt Lake Would Protest. Commissioner Prouty- announced that there would be a vigorous protest on tho Cart of Solt Lake If a basic line should e established at Denver, as It would allow al-low Denver almost to reach the gates of Salt Lake, as competition from the Pacific Pa-cific coast now reaches it from tho west. He asked Mr Spongel whether It would relievo the situation If rates were reduced re-duced as he had suggested to Mr. Wild. Mr. Spengel answered that ho thought It would and the Commissioner said hc thought that something of that kind ought to prevail In lhe case of Denver. Mr. Prouty added that the case of Denver depended de-pended to a great extent o"n the disposition disposi-tion of the case of Spokane, which would bo heard further at Portland. April 15. If It was desirable to hear further evidence In Donver. It would bo heard here on April 22. Arguments In lhe case would bo finally heard at Washington, June 3. Tomorrow morning testimony will be heard In tho cattle-raisers' cases. |
