The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1889-01-25

Inc following order, issued by the
State Railway Commission, has not yet
appeared in other papers, and is of
great interest to shippers in this city,
and addressed to ''all railroads.:
ST. PAUL, Jan. 7, 1889.
DEAR SR:-Pursuant to notice from
this commission, dated June 26, 1888, a
hearing was had on the 18th day of
July following, to which all the railroad
companies doing business in the state
was invited and the attorneys or some
other of the general officers of the sew
eral roads, with few, if any, exceptions,
attended and took part IN the delibera-
ton.
At the hearing the subject of a uni
form distance tariff, and also the matter
of reducing the terminal, commodity and
other tariffs in force on the lines OF your
road within the state of Minnesota, as
well as all other roads in the state, SO
far as said tariffs applied or related to
the transportation of grain, coal, lum-
Der, live stock and dressed meats were
discussed and with manyother questions
then considered has ever since been I'M
der deliberation by this commission.
The reasons advocated for maintain
ing higher rates for transportation be-
tween country stations in less than car
load lots, than are charged on the same
roads to and from principal points-the
greater commercial and manufacturing
centers-are not without force. These
reasons are substantially that the bust
ness of the roads between country sta
tions is much lighter in proportion to
the expenses of maintaining such sta
tions, while the billing, shipping and
delivery of a small package, or of a
hundred pounds often involves as much
labor and expense to convey as the
movement of car load; and then it is |!
not lnfrequently necessary in order to |
make such shipment, to send car but |
partly loaded.
The principal, if not the only reason |
assigned for charging more upon car |
load lots between country stations |
(where the distance tariff alone applies) |
that is charged for the like distance, on |
the same commodity, under what is |
known as terminal tariff" is that, in |
consequence of the greater concentra- |
ton of business and cars at terminal |
points," it is seldom that an "empty"
cannot be found there in which to make |
shipment without the necessity of
sending from some other station, while |
at country stations the reverse is the
rule. If this fact is deserving of any
consideration, the commission is fully |
persuaded that it does not justify the |
discrimination complained Of The |
higher rates of the distance tariff ope-
rate to the detriment of business at the |
local centers-especially to milling and |
other branches of manufacturing, to the |
advantage of the great cities which need |
no encouragement.
Should the marking down of distance |
tariff rates on car load lots to the rates
made by the terminal tariffs result in |
some temporary reduction of revenues
it, on the other hand, seems to the COM
mission quite certain that the increased |
prosperity to the smaller business CEN
tiers would soon bring the roads in
creased returns which would more than
repair any losses in revenue which they
may have suffered. However, the COM
mission would not feel at liberty to in
terfere with rates found to be "equal
and reasonable" simply because it be-
heyed change in the policy of the
company would result in its increased
prosperity ultimately, even though
causes which were depended upon to
produce the results anticipated were
better known and understood than the
so-called "factors" which are said to
CutCI ihIO tLC hAihS Vi ldtco.
1t is not our purpose at this time to
60 to the extent Of recommending to
companies the adoption of a uniform
distance tariff as preliminary step to
requiring its adoption hereafter, nor do
we deem IT best IN the present de-
pressed condition of railway interests in
the northwest, to suggest the further
present reduction of terminal tariffs.
even on the commodities mentioned in
our notice and above specified, bat are
convinced that for the reasons ADORE assigned
the distance tariff should IN all cases be made
TO conform to the terminal tariffs on car load
lots, for the same commodity and for equal
distances; and that IN so far as the rates and
charges mentioned, girea or indicated IN the
distance tariff of your cOmpGng exceed the
rates and charges mentioned, giUen or tndi
Gated in The terminal tariff of said company
for the transportation of the same kind or
class of property for the same distance, and
on the same direction, aUe find said distance
tariff fares and charges to be unequal and
and to recommend that the
same be changed and that yOur said company
amend its distance tariff to conform aCith its
Udrious terminal tariffs as the same are noW
IN force and of record IN this office, IN the
particular and TO the ertent mentioned.
By order of the commission.