Evening journal., 1890-03-17
FREIGHT ON GROCERIES.
An Important Interstate Commerce De-
cisio~ Handed Down.

cisio~ Handed Down.
WASHINGTON Narch 1.-THE interstate
commission, in AZ opinion by Commissioner
Schoonmaker, has decided the cases brought
against the trunk lines by f. b. Thurber
and others, Thomas L. Green and Francis
II. Leggett e. Co, of New York city,
known as the carload cases, in favor Of the
complainants. Complaint was made Of too
great differences in rates charged on car
load and less than carload quantities. The
cases excited a great deal of interest, and
more than 1900 persons, firms and corpora
tions doing business in various sections Of
the country filed memorials with the COM
mission expressing their views for or against
~ae relief sought for by the complainants.
The points decided are briefly stated as fol-
lows:
Classification of freight for transportation
purposes is in terms recognized by the act
to regulate commerce and is therefore law
full. II is also valuable convenience, both
TO shippers and carriers A classification OF
freight designating different classes for csr-
load quantities and for less than carload
quantities for transportation at a lower
rate in carloads than in less than carloads,
is not in contrayention Of the act to regu-
late commerce. The circumstances and con
ditions OF the transportation in respect to
the work done by the carrier and the rev
enue earned are dissimilar and may justify
a reasonable difference in rate. The public
interests are subserved by carload classihca-
tions of property that on account OF the vol
ume transported to reach markets or sup
ply the demands of trade throughout the
country legitimately or usually moves in
such quantities.
Carriers are not at liberty TO classify
property as basis Of transportation rates
and impose charges for its carriage with ex-
elusive regard to their own interests, but
they must respect the interests Of those who
may have occasion TO employ their services
and conform their charges TO the relative
equality and justice which the act prescribes,
Cost Of service is an important element in
fixing transportation charges and entitled
to fair consideration, but it is not alone con-
trolling, nor so applied in practice by car
riers, and the value Of the service to the
property carried is an essential factor 10 be
recognized in connection with other consid.
erations, The public interests are not to be
subordinated to those of carriers, and re-
| quire proper regard for the value Of the
service in the apportionment Of all charges
upon traffic
A difference in rates upon carloads and
less than carloads OF the same merchandise
between the same points Of carriage so wide
as to be destructive to competition between
large and small dealers, especially upon
articles Of general necessary use, and which,
under existing conditions of trade furnish a
large volume Of business TO carriers, is un-
| just, and violates the provisions of the act,
/ A difference in rate for a solid carload OF
one kind Of freight from one eonsignor tC
one consignee, and carload from the sam,
point Of shipment to the Same destination
consisting Of like freight or freight Of lilr
character, from more than one consignor 4
one consignee, or from one consignor t
more than one consignee is not justified b
the difference in cost Of handling.
Under the official classification the article
known in trade as grocery articles are &
classified as to discriminate unjustly ii
rates between carloads and less than car
loads upon many articles, and q revision o
the classification and rates to correct unjus
differences and give these respective mode
Of shipment more relatively reasonabl
rates is necessary and is so ordered.