Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-08-19
COMPARATIVE RAILROAD RATES

1913 49,
The subcommittee on finance Of the
/ United States Senate collected great
mas Of data during its investigation
into the subject Of wages and prices.
/ One Of the most interesting items In
the aggregation b the report upon the
changes Ia railway transportation rates
on height traffic throughout THE
county for a period beginning In 1857
and ending IA the present year
This was made by MI g. C.
Mccain, auditor u the Interstate
Commerce commission. The gentle
man points out that the investigation
conducted by him involved wider
range Of inquiry than had probably
been previously undertaken. Ihe IN
formation sought was not known 70
have been at any prior time collated
10 the extent desired either b. TIE
railroads or by any of the agencies
from which railway statistics fire.
quently emanatc. Naturally the sue
cess Of the investigation depended upon
the friendly cooperation Of the rail-
roads, and We are advised that wher-
ever the records had been preserved
aud we're thought Of service, every
facility was offered fof their Inspection,
and valuable nee stance was rendered
In Analysing the rate schedules, many
> Of which mai become Obsolete yeat'
p before the present iucumbents Ia 6ihc'
had entered the service.
p The intention was ~ begin the worl
with the year 1850, but this was found
u TO be imprac,icable. Accidents
9 removals and changes Of various KIND
, had destroyed or misplaced record
J. and In only two casts were who'll
y records for any time before 1854 avail
y able. IL isalso the fact that from lso
, 10 1865 hoschedules were fragmentar
10 anu tho conclusion was arrived NJ 1ha
~ no extended research for maier''
could be made before the year lbt
" because Of It, requiringa great deal
- time with no corresponding aisuf"n'
- OF results 10 Justify the expenditure
'n labor. We are shown that one Of Il
ne troublesome features of the invostig
ot ton was 10 determine the amount
u data necessary for such
ne port, but II was finally decide
30 h collect rates for o. long time
IN possible In which articles Of CONNIE
Va cial prominence, such az grain, bee
lsI iumber, ETC., should figure, togeth
'al with freight clAssidcations, changes
'r- competitive rates and miscollanc0
.e' data generally.
ne Bfads,yetis says;"rhe report Is VI
On worthy 81 careful study ny all "
W. wish TO have accurate informail
DO regarding the topics discussed, a
les will doubtless receive the focogniti
ID 10 which II 10 entitled a. a piece
me valuable statistical work. la gene
rly il may be- said that the hgu
lu given illustrate the constant Tel
nus ency OF the character Of olassitlcaII
'nu towards uniformity and the growl
yer Importance of the classification In
ore making Of rates, ~ is shown by
!" tact that at this timo fewer articles
'lh- rated independently Of clasaiicat
me than over before Ia the history Of
NY railroads." Il h also held that
Dc tendency of tho railways towards
re- ducuon per ton per mile Il plai
lere shown, corresponding with the
meet creased aggregate tonnage through
RAJ, The county us whole. Also 10
'aoh held that thero are lew roads VIII
MS within ten or fifteen yuars have
lily reduced their rates from 10 To 10
cent. This is not generally unO
on stood, but az matter u iusuc,
lght ! purbt IN hp.