Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-04-18
4 Iacision AGAINST ;l,e s.ai!reads on
the Peninsula.


WASHINGTON. April 13.-The
interstate commerce commission
today decided the case of the
Delaware State Grange of the
Patrons of Industry VS.. the Now
York. Philadelphia aud Norfolk
Railroad Company, the De'a-
ware Railroad Company, the
Philadelphia, WILMINGTON and
Baltimore Railroad Company.
and the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, in favor of the claim
ants. The noints decided are
briefly as follows For n special
service by 4 carrier, such as the
transportation OF perishahle
freight. requiring quick move
ment, prompt delivery at desti-
nation, snecial fitting up ofcars,
their withdrawal from other
service, and their return empty
on fast time, allinvolving great
er expense to She carrier, q
higher rate than for The car
riage of ordinary freight is war
ranted by the conditions OF the
service and is reasonable and
just. But the higher rate for
a special service should bear a
just relation to the value of the
service to the traffic, and is not
wholly in the discretion of the
carrier. While a carrier should
be fully compensated, the pub
lie interests require that the
traffic should not be rendered
valucless to the producer, if the
charges Of the carrier have such
an effect and can be reasonably
reduced. The requirement of the
statute that al rates shall be
reasonable and Just involves a
consideration of the commercial
value of the traffic, and implies
that rates should be so adjusted
that producers of traffic, as we'll
as carriers, may carry or their
pursuits successfully, if prac-
ticable, for both and without in
Justice to the carrier. The pub
lie good requires what is plainly
the spirit of the law, that the
transportation interests are not
alone TO be considered, but that
in the just exercise ofregulation
care should be taken that the
lawful and necessary occupa-
tons of citizens are not unjust
ly burdened.
The complaint was that the
defendants charges for the
transportation of specified per-
ishable articles of truck farming
from stations on their lines of
railroad to Jersey City and Phil
adelphia. were excessive and I'M
reasonable, and that the charges
were higher for the shorter dis
lance from their stations on the
peninsula in Delaware and Mary
land. than forthe longer distance
from Norfolk. Va. twas found
that the charges on certain ar
ticles specified from stations on
the peninsula were excessive.
and a reduction, as follows, was
ordered: On peaches and berries
from all stations on the main
line, 90 per cent; on apples, peas,
kale, spinach, radishes, cab
bages, lettuce and other vege-
tables except potatoes from all
stations north of Delrar, and
for apples, peas and other vege-
tables except kale, spinach,
radishes, cabbages and lettuce
from all stations south Of Del
mar on the main line, 25 per
cent; on potatoes on the main
line, from all stations, 25 per
cent.
The reduced rates ara. how
ever. in many cases still con-
siderably above the rates on the
same articles from Norfolk, and
the showing not being sufficient
to enable the commission to de-
termine satisfactorily how far
the lower Norfolk rates were
justified 10y the difference in the
conditions and circumstances,
that subject was left for future
consideration.