The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-26

adjusted by CORRESPONDENCE and without lit
lgation, great numbers of complaints made
against the railroad companies. and in
cases where by mistake or otherwise. over
charges nave been made, 1t has caused the
laiiroad companies TO refund without de-
iay OF Mitigation or cost to either party.
In this way and by furnishing informa-
ton when called for by The people. II has
Denehteu the people of the State. no doubt.
many times as much as it. has cost to carry
on the business of the commission.
since the commission was organized il
mas reduced the rates OF freight on nearly
every commodity carried by the railroads;
and. rs shown in pages i to II, inclusive.
OF our fourth annual report, as compared
with the rates then in effect on the Mis-
souri, Kansas and Texas Railway of Texas
.peins the lowest average rates of any road
IN the State), we reduced the rates on
more than ss per cent OF all the classified
articles of general merchandise.
Under our tariff of rates on cotton OF
Nusust -, 1871. and September Il, 1891,
we reduced the freight rates on cotton
below the rates heretofore in effect bv
Tue iaiiroads 70 cents on the balo OF 500
pounds. The crop of 1891 was carried
under these reduced rates. Under our
tarln of August II. 1874. rcissued July
y. 1875. with notifications more fayora-
nlo 10 shippers. the crops of 1894. 1885,
anu 1870 were moved at n reduction of
net less than 70 cents per 800 mound bale
below the rates put in effect by the rail-
road companies during the existence of
the injunction. Accepting, for the pur-
pose or TINS statement, the figures used
by the Mercury that there was an average
OF 1000 600 bales of cotton per wear dur
lng which these four crops were carried
on the 20 cents reduction. the saving to
tne Shippers by this reduction would have
npcn NJ uOO OOO Rni tha -, ... r..
these four years was not as much as
stated IN the Mercury. being probably
about ESQ, 600 bales. This would how
that on these figures the commission saved
TO the people of Texas on cotton alone
" 600. On July % OF this year the
commission made a still further reduc-
ton of 20 cents ON the 200 pound bale M
cotton, which became effective August IL.
1877, And by reason of our extending tho
Instance at which the maximum rate was
reached, on many of the shorter distances
tne rates We're reduced go. 40 and in some
instances 90 cents on the bale. which would
make the average reduction for the whole
state probably not less than 30 cents per
bale, making the rate for this year
about So cents per bale lower than the
rates in effect by the railroads during the
injunction.
Assuming that the crop of this year has
neen about the average of the four years
previously mentioned. say 2,a5e. 900 bales,
the reduction on this crop alone would
amount TO si,2s7 800. This, added to the
s2,2So.O 900 saved during the former years.
makes SS,4SI.50o saved to the people by
the commission on the item of cotton alone.
rhis added to what has been saved to thom
on other commodities and on classified
merchandise, not less thar So 900. 900, shows
mat on freight rates the commission has
saved TO the people more than SIS. 900. 900.
And this has been done without maiertsily
reducing the revenues OF the railroads,
oecsuse OF the fact that the action OF tho
commission and the operation of the laws
as administered by Il has. in a large
measure, prevented the loss OF revenues by
regularity to the recelpts of the railroads,