Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1900-08-24
new RATES.
A New Schedule Which, Means a Re.
e
]" duCtion in Rates

{ duCtion in Rates
Railroads doing business in the
state OF Minnesota now know what
is the state railroad commissioners
idea OF distance and distributing
tariffs and merchandise ciass;fi fica-
tjon. The railroads have received
from the commission schedules of
proposed rates, eogetherl with some
proposed changes in the system OF
classification of freight.
The schedules of proposed rates on
merchandise are universal-that is
they are to applytto all.railroads do
ing business in Minnesota and the
actual distance covered is the basis
for Doth the distributing and dis
tance tariffs.
To keep the railroads trcm dodg-
ing the rates by changes in the clas-
sifcation, the commission proposes
a system OF classification, which is
really the western system with such
changes as the commission thinks
are demanded.
1t must be understood that the
schedules and the classifcations now
issued constitutea a suggestion rather
than order. They represent what
the commission would like to have.
On September 4 they will be taken
up before the commission. AFTER
that the commission will issue an
order. There will probabiysbe con-
siderable compromising between the
commission and the railroads before
the state board imposes it's ideas OF
distance and distributing tariffs.
| The following is "a summary OF
what the commission wants to do:
| Fi:st-To make a uniformIsmaxi-
mum distance tariff to be charged
by the railway in the southern part
of the state which will be on the aver.
age below the present distance tar.
if.
i Second-The same for the north.
ern roads which will be some Z or
} per cent higher than ::the:s distance
tariff III the roads III the southern
part of the State.
Third-Maximum universal dis
turbing tariffs averaging about Z to
10 per cent below the distance tar
ifs, which will give uniform and
equal terminal rates to all towns do
ling a wholesale and manufacturing
business.
Fourth-What is known as the
western classification is proposed
with certain amendments assigned
to secure reasonable rates on certain
common articles used in agriculture
and manufacturing.
The most important features OF
the proposition are the fixing of
equal terminal rates for towns doing
a wholesale and manufacturing busi-
ness, and the adoption of a fixed
classification which will prevent ar
bitary charges in tariffs ssby chang
ing the classifications now one of
the most Objectionable features in
connection with rates. 1t does lit
tie good for the commission to tx
rates according to certain lclassiti-
cations of merchandise if the roads
have it in their power to shift arti-
cles from one class to another.
The adoption of uniform maxi
mum distributing tariff is held by
railroad men to be a move which
will benefit the small wholesale and
manufacturing towns Of the state at
expense of the larger.
The following comparisons will
show how the commissioners dis
tance and distributing tariffs for the
northern roads hits them. Take
the Northern Pacific for example.
It's distance tariffs for 25 miles on
the first, second, third and fourth
classes are 21, 18, IA, and IL cents.
The commission would have them
reduced to 18. 35, 1875, 1912 and
and 10.5 cents.
The Northern Pacific's distance
tariff for SO miles are 81, 22.e, 20
and II cents for the four classes.
The commission would put them at
25. 80, 22.16. 1916 and 14.77 cents.
For 100 miles, the Northern Pacific
charges as follows: 47, 40. 80 and
26 cents. The hecommission according
to tho schedules for the northern