The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-16
The Mercer County Railroad.

The matter of regrouping the Rock
Island Il Mercer Co. r. r. came up for
settlement before the Board of Railroad
and Warehouse Com missioners, on Tues
day, and the board rendered the following
decision, as per telegram in the Chicago
Times, which is confirmed BY official mott
fication to the attorneys for the road:
SPRINGFIELD, H., Dec. 1.-THE regu.
lar monthly meeting of the railroad and
warehouse commission was held in this
city to-day, Messrs. Smith, Boeue, and
Oberly being present. The Rock Island
and Mercer County railroad matter was
considered and decided by the adoption of
the following resolutions:
Resotved, That from the evidence sub.
mftted In this case and a consideration of
the reports Of the Rock Island and Mercer
County Railroad Company on file in this
office. said railroad is not, in the opinion
OF this commission. now properly in the
fifth group of railroads, but that it would
not be proper 10 place it, in accordance
with The prayer Of the petitioners, in she
/ FIRST group. and that the determination OF
the group to which the road should be
raised be deferred until the road is reach
ed in its regular order during the revision
| Of the schedules now in progress.
Resolved, That in the opinion OF this
commission, the contract TO transport coal,
now existing between the Rock Island and
Mercer County Railroad company and the
| Coal Valley Mining Company. is contrary
to public policy aud should be terminated.
| The petition referred to above Ia rea-
ton 10 the Rock Island aud Mercer County
| Railroad asks TO have this road raised
| from The filth class in which the highest
! passenger and freight rates are charged to
the first class in which the lowest passen'
| ger AID freight rates are allowed, The
com % ission is Of the opinion that these
rates are too high aud are undecided as
to the proper place to schedule the road.
| This ruling. while it may result in
| changing The grouping OF the road, will
not place it in the first class, which was
The request in the prayer Of petitioners.
| 10 regard to this controversy it should
bn stated that the r |, & NJ. e. r Il,
| does not BOW charge as much as il vi uid
/ BE- allowed to for coal If in the fret class
! Ac. 1rying 10 The rates LAID down by tbs
/ coul mission, the first clsss rate would be
$lI 40 per car from Gable to Rock
Island. whereas all that The road char
ges, is $lI 90 per car, or 10 cents
/ ess than the rates under first class
| For instance take the shipments OF r
B. Ellis. whose car loads average Is tons;
at 90 cents per ton, the first class rate
would be $ll.7O, whereas $ll 90 is the
rate charged By tic Rock Island &
Mercer County as fifth class road.
10 regard to the contract with the Goa
Valley Mining Co., in compensation with
Mr., Ben. I. Cable. Superintendent, we
are assured that the same vas not made
with the view Of affecting the grouping Of
the road nothing whatever to do with it,
Mr.. Cable also states that the loca
| freight rates are now less than the rates
permitted by the Comu.issou to DC charg-
ed as fifth class
Mr.. Cable also assures US that the re-
grouping of the road would not affect more
than from FIVE to eight per cent of the
business, and that he does not apprehsEd
that the road will be raised more than one
grade, anyway.
These points are given as review OF
the main charges Of the petitioners and
until tho Commission settles upon
the group the road shall oc-
eupy. the fifth class will be the schedule
of the Rock Island & Mercer County R. e.
That 10 what the decision amounts to.