New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-10-31

lower than this on Communication
and mileage tickets, which are sold
at 3 and 219 cents per mile. Passenger
rates are as low in Minnesota as in any
state in the country. A conferences
was also ordered in the same year, al
which substantially all the railroads
of the state agreed, upon the commits
slOn's order, to reduce rates on grain,
lumber and live stock, and these were
diminls he'd an average Of 10 per cent.
Reductions Since 1897.
In 1887 new railroad law was en-.
acted, under which the commission had
arbitrary power to fix rates. It was
under this law that the reduction of
switching charges at Minneapolis was
ordered, and also q reduction in milk
rates. The latter was acceded to by the
railroad companies, but the former was
carried to the United States supreme
court and the decision of the state
supreme court was there reversed In
the year 1888, again at the instance of
the commission, grain rates from the
Red River valley were reduced about 10
per cent. The control by the same body
of men of the matter of freight
rates and all elevator inspec-
ton and charges has been very
advantageous. A free market has been
secured and the railroads have become
more liberal every year in encouraging
and facilitating direct shipment by the
farmers. In 1894 handling, insurance
and storage charges on grain were re-
duced to 2 cents for the first Is days,
q cent per bushel for each Is days
thereafter Of the first three months,
and 4 cent for each 80 days after that
time.
Advantage of Voluntary Action.
It is fortunate that these very mater.
ial reductions have been made in many
instances as the result of conference
and persuasion, rather than as conse-
quence of the arbitrary power, by au-
thority complied with only under pro.
test: It has been found possible in that
way to secure to shippers of Minnesota
most advantageous rates and, in many
cases, better terms have been granted
voluntarily by the railroad than could
have been forced out of them by ap.
peals to the courts. The amount OF
saving to the people Of the state by pro.
gressive reduction of freight rates in
the last 10 years may be estimated from
study Of the following table. The
figures given are the average receipts
on freight per ton per mile by the re-
speCtiYe roads mentioned;
Names of Roads, 1883. 1873
Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Omaha. ...................S .Ol43 JILL
Chicago and Northwestern. .Ol42 .Ol09
Chicago, Milwaukee and st
Paul. ...................::..:: .Ol39 .OlE
Great Northern. ................ .Ol93 .Oll9
Northern Pa, ific................. w .Ol26
St. Paul and Duluth: ,......,.... !ol4S .oo95
What This Means.
Any one who should take the amount
of freight now transferred over each of
these lines and estimate the saving to
the people in freight by the rate Of 1898
as compared with that in 1883 would be
! amazed at the figures. The ton mileage
or number of tons moved one mile in
Minnesota in 1898 was 2, 424, 0l8, 162. A
difference of but one mill in the charge
on this amount would be nearly 3d.,
100000.
Specific Reductions.
Detailed statements from different
roads exhibit in still more direct way
the reduction Of charges on special COM
modities. The wheat rate to Minneap-
olis from Crookston in 1880 was ~
cents; in 1894, l61H cents.
From Morris, the reduction in these
years is from 20 cents to 10 cents.
The lumber rate from St. Paul to
| Fergus Falls was IL cents in 1880, and
1519 in 1898.
To Benson the reduction was from
Is cents to 121a cents.
From Duluth to St. Vincent the coal
rate per ton in 1880 was So, in 1893 it
was 81.
A similar reduction in other commod-
tiles has taken place throughout this
territory. On the Hastings and Dakota
road the tariff rate on wheat in 1880
ranged from 10 cents for distance of
% miles, to 20 cents for 100 miles. In
| 1890 these rates were respectively,
| cents and 19 cents. 1n,
! On the Northern Pacific the livestock
rate per 100 pounds in 1880 ranged from
~ cents for rs miles, to 32112 cents for
$50 miles. The corresponding rates in
1890 were ~ cents and 10 cents.
| Great Saving to the Producer.
Any amount of comparison of this
sort might be made to show how great
progress has been made within the last
decade in conforming charges for public
service to the ability Of the producer te
pay, in cheapening to him the cost Of
transportation and in assuring him q
substantial measure of justice in The
marketing of his products. In the
matter of railroad rates, as in thai
Of grain inspection and grading,
there still remains much to be done
Some very important additional re
auctions have been made recently
in coal and grain rates and are now
under consideration by the courts; but
the whole course Of legislation in thii
state and of official action under it goe.
to prove that the interests of the farmer