The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-08-10
A NEW DEAL.
Railroad Commissioners Pro
nose Schedule of Rates.
Mankato Placed on Basis With Otner
Distr buting Centers in Matter
of Shipping.

but which came to naught, 1T has peen
known that the railroad commission
was at work on schedule OF rates Tor
the state, which it intended to submit
TO the roads. This schedule OF rates,
which also includes system OF classl-
fication, was yesterday submitted TO
the various railroads of the state by
the commission for their consideration.
II is not an order laid down for the
roads to follow, but simply sugges-
ton for basis of rates. A hearing
will be had on Sept. 4th at which these
proposed changes will be taken up be-
fore the commission. Before an order
is issued by the commission, there will
probably be more or less compromising
between the roads and the commission
upon various points.
On merchandise the schedules of the
proposed rates are made to apply to all
the roads in the state and the actual
distance covered is the basis for both
the distributing and distance tariff.
To provide against the lodging the
effect of the proposed rates by the
roads by changing classification, the
commission proposes a system OF clas-
sifcation which is really the western
system with such changes as the COM
mission thinks are demanded by the
local conditions.
The proposed rates take into con-
sideration the difference in conditions
in the northern and southern portions
of the state. Following is summary
of the proposed propositions set forth
by the commission and the effect it
will have through the southern portion
of the state
First-To make uniform maximum
distance tariff to be charged by the
railroads in the southern part of the
state which will be on the average be-
low the present distance tariff.
Second-The same for the northern
roads which will be some Z or per
cent higher than the distance tariff in
the southern part of the state.
Third Maximum universal distri-
buting tariffs averaging about 7 to 10
per cent below the distance tariffs
which will give uniform and equa.
terminal rates to all towns doing a
wholesale and manufacturing business.
Fourth-What is known as the west
ern classification is proposed with GER
tain amendments designed to secure
reasonable rates on certain common
articles used in agriculture and man
ufacturing.
The most important features OF the
proposition are the fixing of equal ter
minal rates for towns doing a whole
sale or manufacturing business, and
the adoption of a fixed classification
VIII ich will prevent arbitrary changes
in tariffs by changing the classified
tions, now one of the most objection
able features in connection with rates.
Itdoes little good for the commission
to fix rates according to certain CLASH
feat ions of merchandise if the roads
have it in their power to shift articles
from one class to another.
The adoption of uniform maxi
mum distributing tariff is held by
railroad men to be move which will
benefit the small wholesale and manu-
featuring towns of the state at the ex-
pense of the larger. At present while
the railroads give Mankato, for in
stance, distributing tariff of its own,
it is somewhat higher than the distri
buting tariff with Minneapolis as a
center. If the commission PROPOSE
tion should become law, a Mankato
wholesale firm could get the same rate
on a carload of groceries for equal dis
lance that firm in Minneapolis would
get. At present there is a difference
in favor of Minneapolis To illustrate
The rate from Minneapolis toMankato,
sc miles, is 80, % and 20 cents, respec-
lively, per 100 lbs, for the first three
classes of merchandise. From Manka-
to to Brewster, about the same dis
lance, the rate is 81, 81 and % cents.
From Minneapolis to Madelia, 100
miles, the rates at present are SO, 80 and
90. From Mankato to Adrian, about
the same distance, the rates are Al, "a
and 25
Under the commission proposition
the rates for both these sets of dis
tances-that u.s. from Minneapolis to
Mankato and from Mankato to Adrian
would be "a. 10, 49, OF and %. on. This
is only a slight reduction on the pre-
sent Minneapolis distributing..rate but
it is a large reduction on the Mankato
rate
Now, as to distance tariffs for the
southern roads, what might be called
the interstation tariff, where no dis
tributing center is involved. The fol-
lowing are few sample rates as pro-
,,osod nv the commi son and as nou