Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-22

WASHINGTON, D. c., December 81.
hearing was begun to-day by the
Interstate Commerce Commission in
the matter of changes in freight CLASH
fication and advances in freight rates
by carriers using the official classified
ton
Many complaints have been filed with
the commission alleging that discrimin-
ating changes in freight classification
by carriers have been agreed upon to
take effect on January l, 1900. To de-
termine this question the hearing of
to-day was held. Many of the most
prominent railway freight officials OF
The eastern part of the country attend
ed the hearing and representatives OF
large shipping interests of the same
section were also present.
At the opening of the hearing Mr.. c.
e. Gill, of New York, chairman OF the
official classification committee. said
the railroads were without knowledge
Of the persons who had requested the
hearing and asked that they be called
upon to state wherein the proposed
changes were unjust. Mr.. Gill main
tanned that the proposed advances In
freight rates were due to the increased
cost of railroad plants and maintenance
and the advances had been applied to
classes of freights that could we'll pay
them
Mr.. GiIYs Contention
that the shippers be first Intercepted,
was overruled and he, himself, was put
upon the stand.
He said that due consideration of all
protests would be considered by the
classification committee, but the COM
mittee was satisfied the proposed adj
vances were necessary on account of
the increased cost of railway operation.
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 frienght were Enthusiastically low.'
In the course of long examination
by Mr.. w. A. Day, attorney for the
commission, Mr. Gill gave no reasons
for the proposed advances upon spe-
cial articles or classes of freight ex-
cept the general reasons which ap-
xIia1 10 oil froiObf maintained
that the proposed new classifications,
generally speaking. were reservations
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 indicated that his own be-
lief and that of his colleagues on the
classification committee was the recent
marked advance in the price of rail-
way equipment and operation-in
steel rails and all forms of steel and
from, etc-rendered it necessary for
the railroads in a degree proportion
ately
To Advance Freight Rates.
He said freight rates had been on a
gradually descending scale for about
twenty 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 statement to the commission,
Attorney Day said a comparison of
the proposed rates on certain specific
articles showed that the new rates
would be higher than ever had existed
since the commission was created.
Judge c.. A. Prouty, member of the
commission, instituted a line of inquiry,
the questions or the answers indicating
that In 1877 the railroads paid more for
steel rails and other articles of equipment
than they had to pay now. In view OF
these facts, he desired to know why the
classification committee deemed 1t neces-
SO 4 to increase the rates. Mr.. Gill replied
as NE had previously, that in the judg-
ment of the committee articles on which
advances were made could well stand them
and that the railroads needed the addition
al revenue which the advances would give
them. He Indicated by his answers that
the present prices of articles and the prices
in 1887 had little II anything TO do with the
action of the committee except that, in a
general way, the committee felt the ar
ticles on which increases had been made
Could Afford to Pay Them.
While protests against the proposed rates
had been received from shippers, the ship
pers had not been afforded an opportunity
TO be heard by the committee as it was not
the practice Of the committee TO accord
such hearings. As chairman he heard the
protests and communicated their substance
to the committee Protests against the
proposed classification had not been con-
sidered by the committee and would not
be until after the classification had gone
Into effect.
The committee then took a recess until q
o'clock.
Condition of the Treasury