The record-union., 1893-02-08


Again, for the term January l, 1888, to
January l, 1893, ten years, as referred to
oy the Traffic Associations representa-
tive. the local classification of the South
ern PACING Company has been changed
as follows: Additions to, 365; removals
from, 90; notifications of the current
c!asslhcalon, 254; total changes, 67S.
These general changes and in addition
thousands of individual commodity
changes from and to given points have
peen made necessary within the period
named, and because of the ever-changing
commercial and competitive conditions.
One word more with respect to the
proposed rigid Constitution classification:
Ihe document referred to in the resolu-
ton indicates rating as follows: Coke,
carloads-Coke tariff rates. Ore, n. o. s.,
released to valuation not exceeding 500
per ton-Special ore tariff rates.
Query: Which one of the differing
coke and ore tariffs, as in use by each OF
the seVenty-four railroads that have
adopted and use the Western cIassifica1
ton, will, under this proposed Act, be-
come part of the Constitution of Cali
fornia?
IL may not be amiss to present for your
information brief history of the docu-
ment known as the Western classifica-
ton, first called joint Western classitica-
tion, and issued April l6, 1888, and used
Oy tAC lO4lONll5
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail-
road.
Burlington and Missouri River Rail
road.
Central Iowa Railway.
Chicago and Alton Railroad.
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Rail
road.
Chicago, Milwaukee and st. Paul Rail-
way.
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Rail-
way
Chicago and Northwestern Railway.
Chicago. st. Paul, Minneapolis and
Omaha Railway.
Denver and Rio Grande Railway.
Des Moines and Fort Dodge Railroad.
illinois Central Railroad.
Kansas City. Fort Scott and Gulf Rail-
road.
Missouri Pacific Railway.
minneapolis and st. Louis Railway.
Sioux City and Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railway,
Wabash Railroad.
II was a classification of articles car
REQ py the roads named, and was added
10 from time to time as the neressitias
developed, and its adantation to tbe
freight traffic Of the particular territory
served py the roads named was a COM
Parat4VeIy easy matter. April l, 1887, the
name was changed from Joint Western
Classiflcatlon to Western Classification.
ana the work Of adding thereto, or taking
from, or making changes in, as necessi-
ties developed, proceeded in the usnal
course. About the same time. To Wit.
April D, 1887, the interstate commerce law
became effective. Then the document
was IN such wide range of use that it was
deemed advisable to utilize it as the
fundamental or foundation principle of
rate making on transcontinental inter-
state traffic. A schedule or table of class
rates applying to and from the Pacific
Coast and what is known as Atlantic sea-
board territory, Buffalo Pittsburg terri
tory, Detroit-Cincinnati territory, Chi
cago territory, Mississippi River territory
and Missouri River territory. was finally
arranged for and published, the Western
Classification applying thereto, and it has
continued Iii use as the foundation of
freight rates on tranScontinental traffic
up to this time. 1t was apparent from
the start however, that it could not be
relied on exclusively to meet the REQUIRE
ments OF commerce. AS a consequence
the roads engaged in transcontinental
traf1lc issued commodity rates, which ag-
gregate to-day on West-bound business
some ,329 in number, and on East-bound
business some 332 in number From
this you will perceive that the Western
classification with its table of rates comes
far from being a perfect document, and
such one as to meet all requirements of
commerce. The same conditions with re-
spect to necessity for commodity tariffs
that prevailed on transcontinental traffic
prevails in practically all territory where
Western classification is now in use. As
it was extended Westward, Colorado. for
example, the leading industries there
were so different from those of Iowa and
Illinois that it could only be partially
utilized, and naturally a large number of
commodity rates We're necessitated And
this same experience has been found
wherever 1t has been put into effect
Utah, Montana, Washington-The yary-
ing conditions of production, consump-
ton, etc., more especially the former
neceSsitatlng radical departures from the
Western classification and its table of
class rates. Inc consequent tendency
throughout the country to-day is. instead
of restraint and rigidity of classification.
in direction of fleXibility of classification.
Regarding the statement made by the
Traffic Association of San Francisco.
through its representative, that the South
ern Pacific does to-day apply the West
ern classification on certain portions of
its California traffic, have to say that this
Is technically correct. When the Santa
Fe System built into Southern California.
it brought with it the Western classifica-
ton, tariffs, rules and conditions that
governed its business elsewhere. and it
adopted the Southern Pacific Companv's
schedule of the merchandise and numer-
Gus commodity rates without material
change or reduction therein. Instead of
graduating its merchandise or first, sec
ond, third and fourth-class rates, the
same rate as a rule was used bv
it for each of the four classes, The
result of this adjustment of tariff
to the Western classification in Southern
California being to practically produce
the same revenue as would what is
known as the local classification and mer-
chandise rates of the Southern Pacific
Company, or to make it clearer to you, in
practical operation the use of the Western
classification, when applied to the
schedule of rates as above described is in
no material features different from the
local classification that was in use in
Southern California, and is now in use in
Central California. The theory of the
local classification of the Southern Poetic
Company being to simplify in fullest de-
gree, consequently IL starts out with the
announcement, TO effect, that all articles
not named specifically therein will be
charged for at merchandise rates-then
proceeds TO indicate the exceptions.
enumerating articles that are light
bulky, of excessive value, liable to dam
age, inflammable, or hazardous in any
measure, and provides higher ratings
ranging from one-and-a-half to double
tirst-class thereon-the same in principle
in this regard as the Western classifica-
ton. 1t also enumerates various staple
articles on which carload rates are made
similar in principle to the Western
classification. Chief difference between
the local classification of the Southern
Pacific Company referred to and the
Western classification is that the West
ern undertakes to enumerate practically
each and every article known to trade
that is transported by rail and other car
riers. This makes of said Western class
itication a very voluminous document
of course you appreciate that the classiti-