New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-19
DISCRIMINATION ALLEGED
FARMERS WANT A CHANGE ~ THE
TRANSPORTATION RATES FOR MILK
HEARING BEGUN BEFORE THE INTERSTATE CON-
MERGE COMMISSIONER s-PREsENTATroN o.

The long existing controversy between the isrm-
ers OF Orange. sullivan Westchester' Dutchess
and other adjacent counties ana the various f'""",
systems having their terminals IN this city ana
nearby cities Of New-Jersey a. 20 whether inc
Ia,,sr have a right 20 make liked rates for the
carriage OF milk irrespective OF distance zane UP
Yesterday before the Interstate Commerce COM
mssioners for decision. The MIX Producers Asse-
citation under which title the farmers have COM
bned recently complained that the railroads re-
ferred 10 were violating the long ana snort maui
clause OF the Interstate Commerce act by making .
uniform rate for the transportation OF Inilk anu
thereby ,avoring producers long distance away 70
the detriment Of the nearby farmers Iney ahesSo
tha, they cou.d receive redress from me rail-
road. and had peiitoned the COMMISSION " Ca
anime Their grievance.
The hearing was begun yesterday morning IN the
Federal Building. the Commissioners preseh, oeins
William r. Morrison. o; Illinois tcnairfnan)' martin
A Knapp Of New-York. Judson c. Clements. OF
Georgia and James d. Yeomans. OF Iowa Assistant
secretary Martin 8 Decker. Of Ne~-York recorded
Evarts Choste d Besman appeared for the MIX
men and each OF the railroad companies named "
the petition also legally represented
MR. CHOATEs REMARKS
Joseph r. Chos,e opened petitioners case
with long argument. IN the course OF which he
said.
terminals al Weehawken Hoboken and jersey lily.
which are the roads against wnich tne eniei com, com
In this matter. are y cents per lorty-
anart can OF milk and 50 cents Tor forty quarts Of
These same rates aye also charged between local
sta tons however short the distance and also Tor
any sized cans OF than forty quarts capacity.
contain any quantity less than their iul capacity.
points upward Of three hundred miles from the ter
nina to the terminal station the New-Jersey
shore. The Delaware, Iackawanna and western
Railroad COMPANY N their answer ahege rate
sey. and he I.ehigh alege rate Of q cents for
similar Nes -Jersey points. These rates for forty
talned in bottles packed in wooden boxes and ICED
These boxes usually contain twelve quarts There
rfteen-quart boxes. ard a very Jew o,
Besides The railroads having these New-Jersey
terminals there four other railroads bringing
milk TO the New-York market-the Harlem, the
NoT,hepnG ar" the YORK New-Hsven and Hart
ford and the Long Island The rates on the New
York NeW-Haven and Hartford are however only
3 cents per forty quar- can, and unlike the other
roads. that road makes difference In rate between
charge for milk and cream In bottles rms
and outermi.k The uniform rate on ne three otrsr
roads Just named is. believe, 80 cents Ihe
rTs % ds,ribYttne entries Of the contry such az
chicago Boston and Philadelphia. which rsoeivs
these rates by very large percentage. but are al
graduated In accordance with distance rom me
the service infinitely superior 20 mat rendered oy
the defendants Bui .onsder9s nsse oraa,c,s
the most painful inconsistencies are disclosed
4sr he's 6 of pix IN orans:
Tounty and IN. neigh borhood. complain that the
and unreasonab'e for the entire length Of the haul
but that g. is most emphaucally so IN respect 70
their nelghborhOOd. and unlawfully discrininafes
against them. their prejudice and Disadvantage.
beginning o; the haul The petitioners. however.
do not seek az the defendants contend, any monop-
osv OF the milk traffc. are they seeking 10
raise rates az the more distant Poihtss Ihsy con-
tend that The rate IS unreasonable throughout the
accordance with distance The principal difference
is based an allegAtlon that me large rs Jus,
t.rtI.
bv Fast rams mpos~ Of specially constructed
speeia ' force of men employed in this rarc
The position u he defendants has no basis IN
either fact Or law. Their defence on the facts
based upon their aIiegci special service Is vel nsn
absurd Take their chiei allesatioh that tneS nave
sp,innai A. Isrgs expense FOR this trafic FOR the
Accommodation OF milk dealers IN unloadlng and re-
ceiving the milk i VIII appear NAT so tar AZ ,hs
railroad company performs any labor IN the mater
it IL all done upon the employment o. 'o"-olas
There are many other considerations on this point
in favor OF the petitioners position but We pass
a. n,aral, stopping 90 make the observation tina,
thes. questions jus considered are ony mAtrr1A IN
defsndants and Ne merely want figures on that
II j. useless talk about specie ssrvIee LEI VIZ
we yriii hen see 10 il that rates properly az
n's,sI The present rates wofuliy excessive,
even though The cost Of transportation were 40
per cent greater than IT IS
While II ! difficui, determine the cost 20 tts
railroad % any traffc. owing 20 rs temporary ard
spasmodic character IN The case OF INK me amour,
being substantially the same every Jay IN me year
using the same forces running from rom, ne " ,hs
,,,l,fs a. daulrfurr the same terminals tne
.Xact expense be ascertained
MATTERS OF AGREEMENT
=, mus, AIS, he remembered by the Commission
A. ,hess rat,s for milk fixed by the carriers
mn terminals In New-Jersey are matters OF either
,,c, or express agreement between all carriers
IT,. a,. The same for all There T. absolutely no
competition IN this trltic inere are no un!.ae'
eb 'o extra cost Of the rapid and so-calied
a.
T6e cher defenc, Of the railroads IS that extra
t IS involved by special service. ana special csre
in .arriage and a special service ~ men together
~i,h special criminal iaeines. Bat az .se exbb,s
made 6y the surquehsnna IN me ho~e.i case As
az 1n..I expense OF round trip OF a milk train VAS
81 :, Hhlle the OF an ordinary freight tram
os ne iS' leave. AZ extra expense involved IN
A as .,osir, - tins milk rafc % SIS 81 per round
5g S'h Ta iS the Total cost q su.auehan9a
81 s. a. TO r be rs sd ias .p ;Gs1 'rsi
he total earnings IN that case were - Ut So
whch would .eave oial prom ., III, snSrmous
pront we shall prove 10 be iar exceelel oY w
irAric at present conducted by these ra''-
PUTTING ~ EVIDENCE
Mr. Rove. Who i associated with Nj Chos's in
the conduct % the compliments case. then pu' IN
a lot OF documentary and formal evidence ~ teen
meal nature Oblec' ons were raised by the counsel
Tor n. railroads and ths Commissionets' "n" ~.
ding 90 receive The evidence. SAID the oojecuoh
| would be- remembered . -.
Henry Il. Chamberlain. general ffeignt agent oi
IN. Erie Railroad the nr-t witness called Ani
was examined by Nh Rove. The witness os,up,i
The stand during the rest % On. session ana me- es
I timony was principally directed 20 an 'Np'shauoh
og the system by railroads IN the carriage ana
storage % milk Re admitted That me rAtrs 20,
| milk were higher than any other AGRICULTURAL
/ product a state. but salp Wa Nausfn ~
The extra cost and special facilities devoted 10 ms
/ transportation OF milk. The charge MAS we sam.
/ on ali the lines and the result. ne testneh o,
an agreement among the companies Tie dl1 no.
1 think that any inducement other man an ornrr o.
the Commission would make the companies lower
their milk rates.
/ With the end OF Mr. Chamberlains cross-exsm-
nation the sitting adjourned untl 10 O'CLOCK
this morning.
THE SUNDAY FLOWER SELLING QUESTION
The wholesale and retail florists are Of the opinion
| that no further efforts VIII be- made TO start
I n.faN