The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-20
IMPORT TRAFFIC RATES
INVESTIGATION BY THE INTER
STATE-COMMERCE COMMISSION.
Testimony of Railway Omcials and
Shippers-No Shading of Published
Freight Tariffs.

NEW YORK, Dec. 19.-The Interstate
commerce Commission met to-day to inves-
tigate the railroad rates on import traffic.
c. S. Wright, freight traffic manager of the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, presented
schedule showing the charges of his COM
pany of the inland transportation Of i'm
ported freight His road has maintained
the rates shown in the schedule since the
beginning of the year without variation or
concession. The rates on the ocean steam
ers he did not believe were fixed in New
York. Replying TO Commissioner Prouty
road on imports between New York and
Chicago is IS cents per one hundred
pounds, whereas like goods originating in
New York paid e5 cents per hundred
pounds freight to Chicago. There is no
discrimination. The Is cents is a proper
ton we receive of a through rate from
some other place, while the Go cents Is the
total cost of through carriage from ship
ping point to destination.
Your foreign agent works on commas
sion?" Mr.. Prouty asked.
You give him your rate anG he charges
what he can get. With the profit he
makes and the commission you allow ne
has to protect his contracts?
THAT is how / understand It,, Mr..
Wright replied.
L.
lite Cement Company, testified that the rate
per barrel from Vulcanite, n. j., to East
st. Louis is 66 1-5 cents, while from Ant
werp or Hamburg the through rate Is only
Go cents.
Frank Harriott commissioner of the i'm
port committee of the trunk lines, said only
good faith prevents the different railroads
from making concessions to shippers. He
promised to prepare a statement showing
that certain kinds of imports are carried
at smaller rates than the domestic arti-
cles.
what would be the result in the port of
New York If Congress should enact a law,
Commissioner Prouty asked, that no rail-
road might carry imported goods at a less
rate than it charges for domestic goods?
I'm the long rum" Mr. Harriott replied.
sit might be a good thing. Temporarily IT
would stop trade. The improvement would
have to come by an adjustment of freights
by the steamship lines"
Marcellus F. Berry, manager of the for
eign department of the American Express
Company, said his company made its
charges for forwarding goods on the basis
of the steamship charges plus the rail-
ceives no concessions below the announced
tariff.
Samuel Bette, of the international Navi-
cation Company, said he believed the pub
lished tariffs of the railroad companies are
absolutely maintained. There is no fixed
tariff for ocean freights," Mr.. BEETLE said.
There have been times when i could not
touch cement at any figures and times
when have paid to secure ii, because get
ting the weight that way was cheaper
than handling rock for ballast.
II. Il. Chamberlain, freight manager OF
the Erie Railway, declared that the rates
as published are strictly maintained.
Nathan Guilford, freight traffic manager OF
the New York Central Railroad, said the diff
ference in rates between imports and do
nestle goods is more apparent than real
William Joyce, general freight traffic
manager of the Pennsylvania Company,
testified that on his road the tariff rates
are the actual rates.
z. d. Caldwell, vice president of the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. said
he believed the conditions the commission
is investigating have no adverse bearing
on commerce. Most of the articles referred
to not port products.
do you consider the difference in rates.
Commissioner Knapp asked, 'the result of
a commercial or traffic condition.
Largely traffic condition." Mr.. Cald-
we'll said. ut came about originally
through the necessity of attracting ship
ping to the ports and the easiest way TO
attract the shipping was in making cheap
through rates"
No other witnesses were in attendance
and the session was adjourned.