Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-14
RATES ON PERIsHABLE FREIGHT,
A Decision Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission ON a DELAWARE Peach Case.

A Decision Of the Interstate Commerce Com.
mission ON a Delaware Peach Case.
The interstate commerce commission yester-
day decided the case of theDelsware State Grange
of the Patrons Of Industry VS.. the New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad Company,
the Delaware Railroad COmpan the Philadel-
phia Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Com
pany and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
in favor Of the complainants.
The points decided are briefyas follows: For
q special service by q carrier, such the trans
portation Of perishable freight, requiring quick
movement prompt delivery at destination,
special fitting up of cars, their withdrawal
from other service and their return empty on
fast time, all involving greater expense to the
carrier, o higher rate than for the carriage of
ordinary freight is warranted by the conditions
Of the service and is reasonable and just.
But the higher rate for q 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 public inter-
ests require that the traffic should not be rem
dered valueless to the producer. if the charges
Of the carrier have such an effect and can be
reasonably reduced.
The requirements of the statute that all rates
shall be reasonable and just involves a con-
sideration OF the commercial value Of the traf-
~ anu AL pics tiat ratts suOulu De SO adjusted
that producers Of traffic well as carriers may
carry on their pursuits successfully, if prac-
ticable for both and without injustice
70 the carrier. The public good requires what
Is plainly the spirit Of the law, that the trans
poTtation interests are not alone to be con-
sidered, but that in the just exercise of regula-
ton care should be taken that the lawful and
necessary occupations of citizens are not I'M
justly burdened.
The complaint was that the defendants
charges for the transportation Of specified
perishable articles of truck farming from sta
lions on their lines Of railroad to Jersey CITY
and Philadelphia were excessive and unreason-
able, and that the, charges were
from their stations on the peninsula
in Delaware and Maryland than for the longer
distance from Norfolk, Virginia. 1t was found
that the charges on certain articles 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, 20 per cent
On apples, peas, kale, spinach. radishes. cab
bages, lettuce and other vegetables, except
potatoes, from all stations north Of Delmar,
and for apples, peas and other vegetables, ex-
cept kale, spinach, radishes cabbages and let
tuce, from all stations south Of Delmar on the
main lire, rs per cent.
On potatoes on the main line from all sta
tons 70 per cent
The reduced rates are, however, in many
cases still considerably above the rates ON the
same articles from Norfolk and the showing not
being sufficient to enable the commission to de-
terMlne satisfactorily how far the lower Nor
folk rates were JUSTIFIED by the difference In the
conditions and circumstances that subject was
| eft for future consideration.