The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-22
Begun by the Interstate Com
MERGE Commissioners.
MANY COMPLAINTS FILED
Changes and Advances Made All Along
the L'ne-1ncre used Cost O. Rail-
road Material Given as
tho Cause.


changes in freight classification and
advances in freight rates by carriers
using the classification.
Many complaints have been filed with
the commission alleging that discrinni-
mating changes in freight classlftcatl ton
have been agreed upon to take effect
on Jan. 1, 1900. To determine this ques-
ton the hearing of to-day was held.
Many Of the most prominent railway
officials of the Eastern part of the
country attended the hearing and rep
resentatives of large shipping interests
Of the same section were also present.
At the opening of the hearing G. E.
Gill of New York, chairman Of the
official classification committee said
the railroads We're with without knoWl-
edge of the persons who had requested
the hearing and asked that they De
called upon to state wherein the pro-
posed changes were unjust. Mr.. Gill
maintained that the proposed advances
in freight rates were due to the in
creased cost of railroad plants and
maintenance and the advances had
been applied to classes of freight that
could well pay them. Mr.. Gill's con-
tention that the shippers be first inter-
FOSaleu WAS ONSlFuleu anu ilAiilSSll
was put on the stand.
He said that all protests would be
considered by the classification com
mittee, but the committee was satisfied
the proposed advances were necessary
on account of increased cost of railway
operations. He intimated that for the
same reason still further advances
probably would have to be made. Upon
many articles Mr. Gill maintained that
existing rates Of freight were unjus-
tifiably low.
In the course Of long examination
by ". A. Day, attorney for the COM
mittee, Mr.. Gill gave no reasons for
the proposed advances upon special ar
ticles or classes Of freight. It was the
general reason which applied to all
freight. He maintained that the pro-
posed new classifications, generally
speaking, were restorations Of freight
rates which prevailed in times past
when commercial and trade conditions
were similar to what they now are. His
replies to long series Of questions in
dicated that his own belief and that Of
his colleagues on the classification
committee was that the recent marked
advance in the price Of railway equip
ment and operation--in steel rails and
all forms of steel and iron, etc.-ren-
dered it necessary for the railroads in
a degree proportionately to advance
been a gradually descending scale for
20 years, but he was unable to say
whether the proposed new rates would
be higher or lower than the rates which
prevailed in 1892.
In a statement to the commission,
Attorney Day said a comparison of the
proposed rates en- certain specific arti-
cles showed that the new rates would
be higher than ever had existed since
the commission was created,
Judge c. A. Prouty. a member of the
commission, instituted line of inquiry.
the questions and answers indicating
that in 1887 the railroads paid more for
steel rails and other articles of equip
ment than they had to pay now. In
view, of these facts he desired to know
why the classification committee deem
ed 1t necessary to increase the rates.
Mr.. Gill replied as he had previously
done. that in the rates on articles
which had advanced they could we'll
stand them and the railroads needed
the additional revenue which the rate
advances would give them. He indi-
Gated by his answers that the present
prices of articles and the prices in 1887
had little. If anything, to do with the
action Of the committee, except that
in a general way the committee felt
the articles on which increases had
been made could afford to pay Them
rates had been received from shippers,
the shippers had not been afforded an
opportunity to be heard by the COM
mittee, as it was not the practice Of
| the committee to accord such hearing.
AS chairman he heard the protests
and communicated their substance to
the committee. Protests against the
proposed classification had not been
considered by the committee and would
not be until after the classification had
gone into effect.
The committee then took recess I'M
til 2 o'clock.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
the Merchants association of New
York, suggested that If postponement
of the hearing could be had he be-
lieved the shippers and the carriers
might come to a reasonable agreement
upon the proposed classification which
would prove satisfactory to all cnn-
cerned. He was assured after convers-
ing with several railroad representa-
tives that readjustment of the pro-
posed classif1cations could be brought
about and that therefore the COM
plants later to be considered would
be reduced to minimum.
N. y. Kelly, secretary Of the Trade
| eague of Philadelphia, sad what ship
pers wanted was that the new CLASH
| ficattons should go into effect April l
! iHSiedu VI jail l. I5Ou IL lIle FdllFOdlS
would consent to this proposition he
anticipated no trouble. As no repre-
sentative of the railroads presented au-
thority to accept Mr.. Kelly's PROPOSE
ton 1t went by default
Mr.. Gill, who was on the stand dur
ing the morning session, did not APP
prove of Mr.. Kelly's proposition that
the classifications should not into eff
feet until April 1. as that would de-
priVe the railroads of the added reVe-
nues for three months. He asked for
a 30-minute recess of the hearing in
order that he might consult the rail-
road men present as to the action they
should take.
A. J. Vanlandingham, representing
the st. Louis traffic bureau, said that
the question interested not only offi-
cial classification territory, but the en-
tire United States.
Changes in Western classified ton
have already been made in lieu of
those in the original classification"
said he, "but they are not so radical
as in this territory"
Mr.. Vanlandingham believed that II
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