The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-10-04
THEY WILL Be HEARD.
Railroads Will Have a Chance to
Make a Showing.
DATE FOR DISCUSSION IS FIXED.
Application to Raise the Rates In Texas
Will Re Considered by the Com
mission This Month.

crease in Texas freight rates recently
made by number of railroad companies
Circular No. 337--General Notice:
Office Of Rairo 3i,s Gommissi9p Of Texas
Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
company; the Houston East and West
Texas hallway company the Waco and
Fort Worth and Denver City Railway
company; the Texas and Pacific Railway
COMPANY the San Antonio and Arkansas
land Railroad company the Gulf. Colo
RADIO and santa F'e Railway company:
pany OF Texas; THE Tyler Southeastern
Railway company; the MI souri,. Kansas
end TeXas R any ex SsmPany Of rexas
company, the Galveston Harrisburg and
San Antonio Railway company; the Texas
and New Orleans Railroad company; the
New York, Texas, and Mexicln Railway
company, the Gulf. Western Texas ami
Pacific Railway, company. and Chicago,
have filed with the railroad commission
of Texas an application representing in
petitioners ihaye been operated during the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1896. as cheaply
as practicable and that petitioners have
rates as practicable, but that nevrrth less
in consequence of reduced rates - abb
lished by the railroad commits ion. there
has been for that year a serious redut tion
IN both the gross earnings ana net earn.
ings of petitioners, preventing petitioners.
justly enti led; 1''
And whereas petitioners pray that their
application be set down for hearing and
that after hearing the commisson will
make such increase in the freight rates
tioners the revenue to which they are
justly entitled
And whereas the commission has made
considerable reductions of The freight
rates applying within the State Of texas
upon a large number of articles:
team andd w, Thereas the commission Is not sat
titioners are parties have been so fairly
compensation which they should receive
from interstate commerce and as al The
same time 10 operate justly to shippers
WITHIN he state;
OF securing 10 shippers within the sta
such a relative adtustm mt nf Statc and
antelrstate rates as will protect tn an
afsihinst disacvan age in competing "
snippers whose interests are fos.erei ~
interstate rates, and is determined so far
as II can legtimately he done, TO prevent
railroad companies from prac;ieins that
~ GA OF llscriminaiion whereby Interstate
tb sinc ma. may be transported for rates less
.Ihnortase IN revenues recouped AGAINST
Tue internal commerce of the State:
s; Hhd T., whereas The commission desires
s s run Information respecting ali mat
tn It!dtlhs 10 the conduct of the carry
; ;is business OF petitioners and the opera
..on OF their lines of railway as will enable
tme commission 10 act inteligently and
justly upon said application, SO as 10 pre.
n ne, b,' ,ntlictIon of wrong upon the ship
pe's by the carriers, and at the same time
70 secure TO the carriers such revenues as
may be reasonably compensatory SO far
as me conditions of the carriers with r.
opect 20 population and business will nd
MI or t1"ir earning such revenues
~. .'9", therefore, IT Is ordered by the rail
avda commission Of Texas that notice be
49,, a',r ~ Is merely given to NIL persons in
"tdS'eu that the commission will take up
IT, o'lSu.'r az It's Office in city of Austin
annlic,, On en- lh' zVth day OF October 1896 the
OF the freight rates now APPLYING ON
IRE. .hbels s transported between points withir
the state Of Texas, ard Will in connection
ttAerewith take up and con slider the cues.
soh OF the proper adjustment. with re-
S Si,Si no oach other, of the rates applying
.ies, oy Increasing or diminishing, so far
adiu "HN ~ 2rcessary to effect such re-
aauJustment' the IA ties now apply ins on
S.e,shts transported between points in the
H,I1v ol I,Xas and by insisting that pc
s, e'ohe . VIII Increase or reduce the inter
t,, d, ih.eS now existing, and TO which pc
neoners are PARTIES so far az may be
VII to secure such readiustment.
lion =" ~ inc view to the proper determine.
s sun o. 5al subjects the commission will
Supihlt FOR discussion the following in
Quries, viz.
!. Are the existing freight rates apply
ing within the state of Texas lust and rea.
ssondhlc? If existing rates are or appear
dirf or, io"et than they ought to be under
enah ttry should be under existing cir
bnnssinssIhticeS having in view the prevailing
sr rs' mo,, depression of the country. and
IT, petluoners suffering, in the diminu- |
,ion OF their revenues, disproporLonately |
o,b ,,e mlsiortunes which are borne by all
otEer classes of business?
,b II the freight rates applying within |
sn os aatate OF Texas an. not just and rea- |
az aoie under tn" circumstances, and II. |
inasru' on what articles should there be
t,i,leas' ), and what should he the augmen. |
','oIl OF rates in each case?
" are interstate rates to which r.atition- |
~ are PARTIES, just and reasonable under |
me clrcums ancas2
ah ~; II iniers ate rates are Just and reason !
80 Wltpln themselves. are they, consid- !
N,,ea IN relation Il tho state rates, so adj |
ius"d as % 0pcrate fairly 10 the prcduc- |
sr,me rrssHin.ni@cturcrs merchants and con-
~ "a, II interstate rates are not just and |
a Ta within themselves. or If they |
TO tho no aulustei as not @ 1pera.e justly |
cb We producers, manufacturers. NOR |
,,llts ana consumers of Texas, in what |
a uttSSoa nc are they not just and reason
"a. or IN what Instances are they not so |
onyrstu with regard to state rates as 10
spp.lat larry to the producers, manufac- |
TeVas5 merchants and consumers Of
hdsohanle within themselves, should th,S |
tno ,d' eco on, lowered, and how rnuch should |
artic,luSeo rhssN6 or lowered. and on what |
ran, Nnd whore they are not so ar |
ddunssed as to operate justly to Texas pro-
couSelH, manufacturers merchants and |
al . sHould tn"y nor no 50 f''ddJuSt- |
en as 70 prevent injustice 10 those classes. |
man, r so, what should be the readjust-
IN connection with the inquiries en-
o,aaceo IN this paragraph, in addition to
MI, information desired TIN commission |
81 ~ require statements showing the inter
iste e rates for tn" year ending Jun. 80, I
t ,o" ana the Interstate rates now existing |
sr,ah ana from Texas points upon cotton.
i lumber grain ran product, and hay; cattle,
ar ue,' coal salt, cotton piece goods. sug-
cleo ana molasses, tropical fruits, iron arti-
oor.ahd furniture, and showing the pro-
i nSor'i,rnns of the through rates received by
sal, le ns lines for the transportation Of
n, What is the volume of the business
NJ ,ueNhs moved wholly within the limits
IL a.. me State, and what is the vo,l,u.,, of
atiiterstate traffic originating a or termin-
1,Ss'ms az points in the State. or passing
'nhe 20, 1896? ''e
,,n,io what extent, If ut all. are Texas
80, forming rrqrts Of interstate Systems |
s oehg used to foster the interest of the
sH3o shse ms by imposing undue burdens upon
d ivis, lexas lines. and how far. II at ali.
unas'ons are made between such Texas
s...t. Il