Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-10-24
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
IMPORTANT DECISIONS RENDERED
BY THE COMMISSION.

Tho Rule Regarding Shipments OF Cattle
In Car Iots-Through Rates and Mileage
- Regarding Shipments of Lumber from
the south by Rail and Water.
The Interstate commercs commission
has rendered three important de-
cisions. In tho case of Lenord and
Chappell against the Chicago and Alton
railroad the commission decides that car
riers can rightfully substitute for the
practice OF charging carload rates ON
cattle. irrespective of weight. the rule that
while carlot is named minimum weight
Tor carload Is prescribed, and any excess
over the minimum is to be charged
for by the hundred pounds In
proportion to the carlot rate The COM
plainants urged the commission to
conform to the State laws and rulings of
Kansas and Missouri State commissioners
under which shippers Of cattle to points
within the State had the right to load cars
without regard to weight at stated price
car. The commission held, however,
that State action could not be allowed to
control In matters within the Federal
Jurisdiction, and that the grant to the
Federal government of the power to regu-
late Interstate commerce is full and
complete and can not be narrowed or en-
croached upon by State authority either
directly or indirectly.
In An opinion on the case of McMorran
~ Harrington, grain dealers at Port
Huron, Mich, against the Grand Trunk
and the Chicago d Grand Trunk roads.
commissioner Schoonmaker says:
Though rates are not required to be
made on mileage basis, nor local rates
to correspond with the divisions of a Joint
through rate over the same line. Mileage
is usually an element of Importance. and
due regard to distant proportions should
be observed in connection with the other
considerations that are material in fixing
transportation charges"
The complaint tina { an Scent rate on
grain froIu furt HuIo TO BuuaIo was un-
reasonable as compared with a through
rate OF ID cents hundred pounds from
Chicago to Buffalo was not sustained. but
no good reason havingIoeen shown for a
higher rate on grain products that portion
OF the complaint is sustained and the pro-
ducts ordered to be carried at the sam,
rate as grain.
Commissioner Morrison in deciding the
case or Abbott against the East Tennessee
railroad which is charged with illegal dis
elimination in lumber rates from Ten.
nessee points to Poston, says:
combined rail and water competition
at longer distance point does not Justify
greater charge for the shorter distance
while the shorter distance point is main.
tanned by the carrier at points where the
is of greater force and more
controlling than at ths longer distance
point; such greater charge is not justified
by the fact that local rates have been first
paid on lumber to the longer distance
points, nor by the fact that the freight Is
shipped in cars from the longer distance
points which brought machinery to those
r-i..e~ s~sfa EOf "uiTu prUnJdDr0 rUUuIu
loads were not always to be had, nor by
difference in the bulk and value of the
lumber when the published rate sheets put
The lumber in the same class and at the
same rate.
while distance is not always a con-
rolling element in determining what is
reasonable rate there is ordinarily no better
measure of railroad service in carving
foods than the distance they are carried:
md when the rate Of freight charges over
me line in sending freight carried from a
leighboring territory to the same market
$ considerable greater than over other
ines for distances as long or longer such
greater rate is held to be excessive and
hould bo reduced -