Show FREIGHT RATE INCREASE HIT BY SHIPPERS Hearings Open Here Hereon on Proposal to Boost Rail Charges With both Interests possessing voluminous testimony to hurl at each other Utah railroads and shippers shippers shippers ship ship- pers opened their freight rate in increase increase increase in- in crease fight Thursday at the Hotel Utah Seeking a general increase in intrastate intrastate intrastate in- in rates the railroads serving Utah Ulah appealed to Examiner F. F C. C Weems of the interstate te commerce commission hearing the case casc for increases similar to those granted by the commission some time ago throughout the country Witnesses at the first session were all railroad representatives and included R. R auditor of the Oregon Short Line railroad C. C C. C Beach assistant freight traffic traffic fic manager of oC the Union Pacific system at Omaha George Williams of Denver freight traffic manager of the Denver Rio Grande Western Western West West- em ern railroad R. R K Bradford su sup superintendent su- su p of transportation for forthe forthe forthe the D. D R. R G. G W. W and Henry J. J Plum Plumhof hoC general manager of the 0 S. S L. L Testimony of the railroad men was to the effect that the railroads are justified in asking for higher rates within the state and to the same extent as those granted by the I. I C. C C. C Discrimination Charged They charged that Interstate shippers shippers shippers ship ship- pers arc are being discriminated against because the railroads have not been permitted to increase intrastate rates rales in Utah They also pleaded that the railroads are desperately in need of additional revenue that the rates are too low and the I. I C. C C. C has granted the general increase on interstate rates A similar hearing was held some sometime sometime sometime time ago before the Utah public service service service ser ser- ser ser- vice commission This body refused to grant increases Dana T. T Smith of Omaha assistant assistant assistant assist assist- ant commerce counsel for the Union Pacific and formerly of Salt Lake City and J. J A. A Gallaher of Denver commerce counsel for the D. D R.G. R R. G. G W. W questioned the witnesses Shippers Heard Counsel for the shippers includes Bert L. L Penn of the Traffic and andRate andRate andRate Rate Service bureau Ernest D. D Salm SaIm executive se secretary ret ry of the Utah Citizens' Citizens Rate association John D. D Rice deputy state attorney general B. B P. P Manley executive secretary of the tho Utah Coal Operators Operators' Operators Operators' Operators Operators' Opera Opera- tors' tors association also is protesting the railroads' railroads petition Shippers' Shippers representatives were heard during the afternoon session |