Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-19
UPHOLD BRIDGE ARBITRARY
Decision Of tha Famous Case Goss Arainst
Cniahh
MINORITY oPlNos GIVEN sY MORRISON
Clements sides with Him in Affirm
ing that He Believes the Cauteu-
ton aG Comm-r rciaI club 10
Just and Equitable.

WASHINGTON. Nov ts-,sueciaI rele-
Ersm.l-The Interstate Commerce commits
sion by a vote Of three to iva. ieci,ied today
the bridge arbitrary case in favor OF Council
Bluffs. Morrison and Clement dissent In a
lengthy opinion, Commissioner EnaDp re-
porting he case for he majority
Commissioner Knapp. after reviewing At
considerable length the contentious Of the
Commercial club Of Omaha in the Omaha
bridge case rail-uad companies and inter
venurs. discusses the question from three
separate points.
First-wnether Council Bluffs has the
same in-rates from all directions as Omaha.
Secund-Wherher Council Bluffs has the
same out-rates TO Nebraska.
Thi-d-Whether Omaha pays bridge tolls
In addition 70 Council Bluffs rates On ship
ments from the south to Omaha ami Caun-
Gil Eluffs over several systems Of roads
some OF which reach these points from Ne
brsska ami some from the Iowa side Of the
Missouri river
Carriers in consequence he holds are not
responsible for existing conditions and says
that Il the conditions we're reversed the re-
suit would be the same % either community.
He lays down the proposition under this
head, that If any one Is responsible for the
apparent discrimination 1t IS the Cuiun Pa
citiC. which has It's eastern terminus at Cdun-
ell Bluffs The second proposition he passes
over with the merest reference but upon tle
third his greatest argument IS made. stating
in contradiction TO the assertion uf cum
plainants that group rates are made in a
number Of cases much farther apart J1an
Council Bluffs and Omaha. Shipments 20
Nebraska City require greater service for
carriers than is pert0ime fer Council Bluffs
merchants. for thev ara hauled greater
distance Not every inequality Of rates
IsaHtr THTTr-
missioner Knapp, and again disCrimina-
tiun is forbidden only when It IS unius-'
NJ Prsutv, the new member Of the cam
mission, also writes a cuncurring dpinluu
Advancing the idea that IS the railroads nave
to ray $40 900 a year for the USE 1f the
bridge, they must charge higher rates. ami
70 remove the bridge tolls on shipments aasc
from Omaha would be Of Itself a dlscrm!rl-
tio4 against Council BLUFFS. He thinks all
trltfic which crosses the bridge either way
ought % pay toll for every time ic crosses.
The dissenting opinion OF Commissioners
Morrison ami Clements is conceded 70 be al
exceedingly able prEsen tariGu even by the
majority commissioners. Colonel Morrison
VINO prepared the opiniun, says the contract
vas entered into years ago bv the railroads.
to egualiZe rates anu II fact the gTeemelt
Went into effect TO all points east ana vest
except IN Iowa, which he saws is not t1Ir
dealing. Ee cumbats the proposition dr
Knapp that Omaha has not been Injured and
s3ys that two wrongs never made 4 right.
He shows that Omaha, when the last census
vas taken. had 1 yearly Gu, put Of S+2, 500 900,
as against Council Bluffs $4,000, ,l00, ANA
that Omaha should be pur on an equality
The SINE as the defendant The companies
should grant 70 all Missouri points, inciut-
ing Archisun. LearenwOrLh ami Kansas City,
equal rates. which three places. Ike Omaha,
are on the west bank Of ne Missouri river
He SAYS that permitting the several ner-
p1n 1r n
ell Bluffs to intervene a0uded and ubscured
the issue, which he greatly regrets. as he
believed the contention Gr the Commercial
cIuh IS lust md eauitaple.