Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-21
THE NEW AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THB TRUNK LINES Is ACCEPTED
AND SIGNED.
1t Went luD Effect at Noon Yss.srday-Imporani
Features Of the Railroad Presidents Treaty
Power Of Arbira0rs lncrsassd-To Aid
IN Enforcing the Interstate Law.

NEW YORK, February 2O.-At u o clock
to-day the new trunk line agreement went
into effect. II WAS accepted yesterday
afternoon by the Presidents of the roads,
who met at the Office of Commissioner
Fink to pass upon the revision which he
had prepared, with the assistance of sug-
gestiors from the Executive Committee.
There were some final questions TO be
attended to, but they were not o. great
importance, and the work OF acceptance
was not very long one, and the pledges
Of the presidents signatures were soon OBJ
tanned. All the roads in the association
were represented except the Philadelphia
and Reading.
In it's new form, which was designed to
meet the position taken by the bankers
and the Western railroad presidents, the
agreement largely increases the power OF
arbitraIies, and takes some decided steps
toward securing the cooperation OF the
roads in the work of the Interstate Com
missiOners Under the head OF General
Principles" it is provided, ss explained by
Mr.. Fink: That all measures necessary %
carry out the object OF the agreement shall
be considered and acted upon jointly; that
all questions which cannot be settled by
mutual agreement, and are necessary 20 be
settled in order to carry out the object Of
the association, shall be decided by arbi-
tration; that the parties are 20. 10 allow
their road TO he used by connecting with
other transportation lines IN manner
which will render it impossible to carr
out the object of the agreement tha, the
parties 20 the agreement will aid M the
enforcement OF the Inter State Commerce
law; that it is fundamental principle oil
the agreement that the Presidents, or CHEF
managing officers Of the c)np1nie', ehsll
assume the responsibility OF carrying ID
into effect; that if the maintenance OF ans
form tariffs does not insure each company
fair proportion OF the business, tho tar
ifs may be read usted for the purpose OF
bringing about a fair distribution OF
traffic.
Under the new form : more direc- meth
cd In provided for brin ing lmpor'an'
questions to the attention Of the Board oi
Presidents, and having them more prompt
ly decided by arbitration. The principal
objection to tie Old agreement was tnat
the responsibility was divided emong COM
mittees which could not act promptly ald
efficiently. The responsibility IS LOW
thrown more directly upon the O)mm.s-
sioper and. if lie meets with ot tjectione, he
a reoired to bring tha matter at orcs to
he attention of the Presidents or cuiri
managing offc rs, who assume the Te'poA-
sibility Of carrying out the agreement
The freight and passenger committees
shsll consist of the general trailic maaassis
or general freight or passenger sgents oi
The resDectiye companies. The committees
are authorized, under the direct on OF tto
Executive COMMITTEES, to deal with an
ouestions coming under their authority in
their respective departments. There snail
he chairman Of the passenger committee
aud a chairman Of the ireight clmmit'eei
who shall have the same power In the'c
committees as the Commissioner III tne
Executive Committee, and decide pfompuy
all questions upon which iheir respective
cannot agree, with the nEht OF
appesl 10 the Executive Committee.
The general rules provide that IN case
comolajnt is preferred against sny com
pany. party to the agreement OF Vioia'
lion of the tariffs or rules OF traiic passing
over its road. il shall, in good faith and
by all means in it's power, investigate .lu
ascertain the facts in the case, and, II tns
c,mnlsint il found to be trne, shnil
remtdv the same. If, however, the com
nlaining parties are not satisfied win M
vssliyation and the violation complained
of is not stopped, the complaining com
pany has the right to reduce the 'hi'i' ~
meet the reduction made eitheI openly or
by secret devices by competing Ilnes, Y'1-
vided srch reductions shall not be IN lde
evcent nnon due notice from the comp am
iog rompanv to the other parties TO the
ogTeement and that it shall take eiec-
simultaneously by all lines. ..,.
Itisalso provided that in case oi Niol"-
tion of tho agreement, which IL also Vio-
lation of the Inter State law, compliant
NAV he made directly TO the Interstate
Commerce Commission, or mSy pe DIouE'i'
N the attention OF the Commission through
the Commissioner. The latter is author
;1ed m furnish the Interstate Commerce
with any Information in MS
nossession which will sid tue Commission
in discoyeripg aud Furnishing any VIOLA
lation of the Interstate law nj
It's provided that no contracts shall be
made by the parties to the agreement OF
bv the connectipgroads, which guarantee
rates for any period Of time. 1t ag'eea
that the com )anies VIII comm uu',,,,o ~
ali roads w.th which they enter trsihc af-
ranqements, the conditions Necessary 70
nrotect their interests, and that such traffic
shall moi be continued or or
new ones formed which are not in strict
conformity with the principle upon when
the Trunk Line Association is based nlys
Mr.. Fink. "Uoless the provisions ol t1iS
,eeiion are faithfully enforced by the
Funk Lin,s, every effort which they can
nSnies 'r and to reach the best financial re-
luit Of the operation Of their roads would