The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-16
QUESTION OF D|FF[RENI|ALS.
FULL DECISION or YSTERsTATE
COMMERCE COMMISSION.
in the Matter of the eyed Dis
fnrbance Of Passenger Rates -
and From the PaefAc Coast.


r. G. Stevens western passenger sgsn,
ef tire Great Northern. has received a copy
OF the recent decision o. the interstate
Commerce commission ia the matter OF tie
alleged disturbances in passenger rates
by the Canadian Pacific railway. The
Case was heard by tbs commission AZ Chi
casa August ! ans she decision rendered
August q. All over the United States and
10 Canada the decision IS the one sole
topic among railroad men. 60 important
is 1t 10 tue railroad men OF TIE Pacific
coast that the Post-Intellisencer today
publishes IL in fall.
Previous ~ February H. 1895. the pub
Hsses ps sSsflger rates via the Canadian
Pacific railway from Boston 10 Seattle
and paints upon the Pacific coast tak.ns
The seaHle rate. and from 81. Paul 10 the
sumo points had been: From Boston. first
class, Bib. second class. 20: from s.
Pau. first class. ss&up. second class. fiaee.
BY tariffs effective February ID and II.
these rates were reduced as follows: From
Eoston. first class. s4a.oe: second class.
xn.Y1, from - Paul. first class, $-0.ve,
second class, seo.so.
TIE Boston rate was made applicable TO
ali New England. the state Of New York
and ~ certain portions ~ the states OF
PsnnsyiyaGia and New Jersey.
pom tue ftiing of this tarin various
american lines interested In transconti-
mental business applied To this commission
Canadian Pacific, ard any other rates OF
the sstTne Kind. under toe proviso Of the
fourth section and upon hearing such Te-
lief was granted. That proceeding Is en-
&itied, In The matter OF the application OF
the Atchson. Topeka d Santa Re rail-
way 81 NJ. FOR a suspension Of the fourth
section" ! !. g {. Rep sos. and the re-
Por; and opinion IN that proceeding may
be referred 70 FER a statement Of the SIT
batter, % view of which. "a the grounds
Upon the issuance III the order in that
case the American lines put In force tar
ins which met the above rates OF the Ca
company. by q tariff effective March 10,
lsS. made further reduction. 50 that
the rates OF that company 10 Seattle and
e srI p9lnis taking the same rates w e..
second class; from ST Paul $20.G1 first
class. siao second class Tho Boston
dcscfibeU. The Seattle rate applied TO all
Pacific coast points north Of Portland. The
Portland raie was $50 higher on both
nrst ana second class and this rate was
subsequently extended 10 san Francisco
Al the same time large reductions were
made II. the rates between Eastern terri
were established between the West and
the East. These rates have continued in
eject ever since ano are still in force.
Further Suspension Expected.
The order Of the commission I'm the pro-
ceeding above referred TO was made Feb
-tsafy u. is~. and was 10 expire OF its own
limitation June 39th following. The petit
TONERS NJ the hearing had represented
and without doubt had expected that the
difficulties which led TO the reduction
made by the Canadian Pacific would be
adjusted and the rates restored TO a nor
mai condition before the time limited for
-" expiration of the order Such did not.
however prove TO he the case, and on
June ~. iSH. the same petitioners moved
for an extension OF that order. In pur-
suance of this Application the commission
on that date granted a further suspen-
sion or the fourth section upon the terms
OF the original order until january l. 1899.
unless sooner revoked.
At or about the time OF the making
OF this last application. the passenger
agents of the American lines Interested
requested conference with the commits
sion In reference 10 this rate situation.
and such "a conference was had at Wash
fngton July Il ana l9. The committee
which then appeared IN behalf OF the
western roads stated that they represent
ed moro than 5000 miles of American rail-
way, thdt the present rate difficulties had
alreaqy inF"lYed passenger rates over a
and that further most serious disturbances
must eusue unless some adjustment Was
agreed upon; that lncalculthl" damage had
already resulted ~ The revenues 90 the
Amerissan tines, and that much greater
damage was ikeiy - result IN addition 10
the MANY depioraipiss cunsagtuenees which
are involved ia a iunE-coutinued contest
OF this kind. Tdey stated that ifp This
matter the Canadian Pacific railway was
an unwarTanied aggressor and stood az
dlsturhcr @f rates ana rate conditions:
ana they Insisted thar j, was The duty of
the commission 10 find some means. II
possible. 70 compel that foreign corpora
ton 10 desst from fs IN iust iflabi1 attack
upon American railroads Among other
thlnsS, Il was suggested that We put I'm
fierce that portion 81 III" provisions OF
tho sixth $ecttGn ~ The nct 10 regulate
commerce which refers - foreign carriers
aad that we make anoh represent tsons 10
congress SIS migas result IN legislation TO
prevent in the future q repetition OF sfl:l.
aiar conditions.
The canadian Pacific railway WAS Also
Informally beard by us In This connsc~
tion, and That company earnestly Insisted
that she American lines had by their own
unlawful conduct forced upon II its pres
e1f course and further alleged thar In
many instances the American lines had
exceeded beth in spirit ard ia fact the "a
iief granted ny the suspension of the
fourth sect Ton in ti&3t taev had not ossly
met the rates made ~ TIE Canadian Pa
cihc hut had established lower rates than
those of that company
4 Further a~csttgntion.
II all ne: seem sritaols II take any a.
tson II the premises without further fnves-
tigagion 81 thc facts, ana IL was dee,nod
best. for the purpose az obtaining authen-
sio Information IN reference 20 tho exist
ine rate dist rlsioeR, - Institute An I'M
aaiFy into this whole nubiect Suah an
Investigation Was accordingly ordered ana
set Ter hearing at Chicago AuE3lst L lsls
AMI Ntron that Shv. ara succeeding DAYS
WAS had The American lines wert, very
generally represented by tlseir passenger
agents. Their case was pTe~a n1e, ~ a
scnasesttee selected FOR ;h3t purpose rar
whom AIR T. : EnsttS acted as spuEes-
man The Canadian Pacific Railway Com
RlOOd Tells