OCR Text |
Show RAILROAD DATE HEARINGS OPEN Formidable Array of Legal Talent Appears for Utah Lines . SALT LAKE. Aug. 12. All railroads rail-roads operating In Utah, represented by a formidable array of legal talent, yesterday appeared before the public utilities commission of Utah with petitions peti-tions rerjurstlng authority to raise rates and psMWlgSI fares in accordance accord-ance with Increases authorized August Au-gust I by the Interstate commerce commission. H. A Scandrett. commerce counsel for the I'nion Pacific system, represented repre-sented the curriers of the Mountain-Pacific Mountain-Pacific zone. In which, according to the ; signal I'm of 'hi- commerce com-fission, com-fission, Utah Is located. Mr s a n -drett presented the case for the railroads. rail-roads. He explalne, that the application applica-tion Is based on the order of the national na-tional body, which had directed the utilities concerned to obtain confirmation confirma-tion from st.it.- commission I" fore putting Increases Into effect. In reviewing general conditions. Mr. j Scandrett declared that the operating expenses of western railroads bad been greatly increased because of the additional pay ordered for employes i the cost Of materials and the expense of maintenance of all equipment; I H. M Adams, vice president of the .T'nlon Pacific system, testifying before the commission, declared that materials mater-ials used in railroad construction had Increased In cost 212 per cent since 1114. Besides Mr Sc.mdrett. many other attorneys were present and took pari In the proceedings George H. Smith and J V Lyle represented the Union Pacific and Oregon Short Line roads. Van Cott. JftltterdtParnsworth represented repre-sented the Denver a Rio Grande. Western Pacific, ar.d Tooele Valley railways. I e inc. .mine (i William appeared for the Bait Lake A pgden and the Utah-Idaho Central lines. Hani P. Smith appeared for the Los Angeles & Salt Lake road, and Robert H. .luJd represented the Southern Pacific. Pa-cific. H W. Prlekett, manager of the traffic traf-fic service bureau and W. S M Carthy represented the Commercial clubi various var-ious coal operators, sugar companies, and other concerns engaged In extensive exten-sive shipping. Mr. Prlclcctt. who was on the stand the greater part of the afternoon, protested against the advances ad-vances in rates on coal and coke from the mines to Salt Lake and other Utah points Proposed increases on low grade ores from mines in Utah desti-1 nations were also opposed by Mr.' Prtckett. He introduced numerous exhibits showing that rales as proposed propos-ed would be higher In I'tah than In other states Hp also nucstioned Vice President danis relative to rates on coal and low grade ores on Utah roads and the Los Angel I ft Salt Like road, i om pared to rates on similar shipments ship-ments outside of the state oo - |