Show Ie COAL 0 A L WEl HING lAW LA EASY TO EVADE Witness Tells Tells' Senate S-enate Committee Committee Com Corn That Railroads Are Indifferent B. B Cross questioning b by Senator J. J Edgheill chairman of oC the senate railroad committee developed tod today I In the hearing hear hear- ing log on senate bill No o. o SO that railroads In Inthe fi the state did not and would not comply with the law passed by bv the tho 1913 legislature legisla la turo ture concerning tho the weighing of or coal coat A A. J. J Cronin local freight agent of the Denver Den Rio Grande Orande admitted d on n cro cross s questions that h he ha had refused to reweigh at destination nil all coal rec received by hy the thet Woodruff Sheets Morris company compan 0 of this city de despite the demand of ot that concern concern contern con con- cern tern that oil all their coal conI be bc Tho The law lw passed b by the 1913 legislature provided that all coal should hould be bo at al destination as well ell as ns at the point of shipment co to that settlement on losses loses in transit could bo be made The law a however however how how- ever could never neer bo be enforced 0 owing to the fact tact that the legislature In rushing the tho measure through failed tailed to provide a apen pen penalty for Cor Its violation Therefore when tho the railroads e refused to obe obey it it although they the were violating th the la law the they could not not be bo penalized Agent Cronin admitted that his 1118 sup superiors had not told him to reweIgh all coal and that he ha therefore refused to do SI so He Ho said Ald ho lie only knew Indirectly and Indefinitely that some omo law had been passed but understood It wes was unconstitutional or something like that that- Held Up Coal Charge Insinuations were mado matlo b by b- Attorney J. J T. T Hammond representing tao tho coal dealer deal deal- e er it ct-it that Cronin attempted to Intimidate coal companies against requests for tor re rc- weighing b by threats to hold their coal shipments backs This Cronin denied claiming that he withheld coal from the Martin Coal company on Instructions b because because be be- cause tho the bills for freight had not been settled The Martin company claimed the they wanted ranted anI and held up pl payments pay pay- moots ments on freight because It was refused Railroad representatives again took up their fight on the Cottrell bill providing providing provid provid- ing for tor the weighing of ot coal at destination destina tion Instead of or at points of or origin at 11 o'clock this morning C. C H. H Griffin district ills dis superintendent for the Western Vestern weighing service bureau who ho was on the stand when tho the committee adjourned Cs afternoon was again questioned b by Attorn Attorney e Van Colt Cotto representing the Denver Den Rio Grande Crande which Is leading lending tho the fight ht on tho Cottrell bill Scales in Poor Condition Griffin started his testimony tOOs today with lIb a a. discussion lon of the th rules for tor weighing weigh weigh- ing promulgated by tho the American Ralla's Railways Railways Rail Rall- ways as a's association tion and tenta tentatively adopted by tho Interstate commerce commission Ho lie said that thol until t two o years rears 3 ago O scales J at many mines were in poor conditions and Rod tha that thai much coal was therefore there there- fore j at nt t destination Asked why the smelting companies demanded demanded demanded de de- de- de an and ana were given at destination while h II 0 It It was denied coal dealers deal deal- ers era ers Mr Griffin said that ho would proba proba- bly not be thanked thank d for tor going Into the thc reasons rea rca sons but he would give gl his testimony on the matter He then admitted that there thero had be been n much trouble between th the smelting companies com corn panics and the railroads Jt ao short ho t weight nt t destination and that because there was no expense to the carriers thc they were ere granted on all nU coal at th the smelters He said the smelters maintained their scales In per per- feet condition and that all coal had to be weighed d before being u uP ed rl anyhow Senator mator asked him wh why privilege had b been e given tho the smelters and denied dented the tho men Scales Not Provided The witness explained that there were not scales provided In all an coal yards ards e and d that If the tho coal cant men W wanted all cars at destination they should provide pro pro- Ido vide scales cale and also mako make an agreement agree arce- ment on adjustments He said the tho smelters smelt smelt- ers era had a agreed red not to claim any lot loss 0 of or less than 1000 pounds to tho the car lIe He said If the themen ceal men would Install yard scales and a agree ree not to d demand m reimbursement on losses tosses of less than a a 3 thou thousand nd pounds It be lC all right to Sl give give- them the privilege on all coal At the conclusion of orthe the testimony by Griffin Cronin was called When Wien Y en he had finished S. S V V. V Derrah Derra h. h assistant general freight and nd passenger agent of the Denver Denver Den Den- ver er k Rio Grande Grane was placed on the stand Further hearings ma may be necessary necessary sary before betor the committee ran can finally decide upon its recommendations on the bill 0 |