The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-02
TRAFFIC MEN HEARD
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM
 MISSION IN CHICAGO.
Agents of Railroads Deny the Charge of Cutting Rates, But MT .r Prouty Seems to Have
 His Doubts.

Chicago, April 1.-At the session of the Interstate Commerce Commission held in Chicago today the traffic managers and general freight agents of the Rock Island Santa Fe, Milwaukee and St. Paul, Chi cago and Alton. Burlington. Missouri Pa- cific, Wabash and Chicago, Great West ern railroads were examined as regards their knowledge of cutting rates on ex- pert traffic from the Missouri River to the Atlantic seaboard
 Commissioner Prouty brought out the fact that few of the roads published their export tariffs and that if they did pulp fish them they paid little attention to the published rates.
 Some os the traffic officials took the position that they were not compelled un- der the la to publish export tariffs for the reason that they had to make the rates in conjunction with the ocean rates and the latter ffiuctuated from da Y to day. Commissioner Prouty. however, thought that export rates must be pub lshed the same as domestic rates and each road in turn was requested to file export tariffs whenever changes are made hereafter.
 The export business Mir. Prouty said amounted to fully s0 per cent. of the total Seaboard business and unless export tar iffs were filed il would not be possible to secure the maintenance of any rates to the sea board.
 IL appeared during the investigation that the Rock Island filed a tariff on packing house products to be in effect from February l5 to March b from Mis- souli River points to New York of 42 l-2 cents d hundred poundes, while the rate filed by the other roads was tS l-2 cents and as most uf the latter managed to get a full share of the business. the Com missioncrs surmiSed that the rates had ben cut by these roads, This, however, was denied by all of the witnesses.
 Assistant Traffic Manager Cores tcsti- fled that the Rock Islands reduction in rates was made because it could not get any business at Kansas City at the As l-- cent rate The testimony of the officials of the other roads was that they faith fully maintained the S 1-2 cent rate and refused to take any notice whatever of the Rock Islands action. Each road hub mittcd to the commission statement showing export and domestic shipments and what rates were made on them from February l5 to March l5, 1902
 The commissioners go from here to Louisville Ky. to investigate complaints of shippers regarding switching charges.
 To Withdraw from Pool.
 Chicago April 1.-Oficial notice of withdrawal from the Western Passenger A ssocia ation was given today by the Cll- cago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. No reason was assigned for the acton but it is supposed that the recent lnves- tisations by the Interstate Commerce Commission of pooling among the west ern roads is the cause. The Chronicle will say tomorrow: After all the rumors or doubling of capital stock or the Chlcago' Rock Island and Pacific, the official an nouncement is made that the increase will he hut 25 per cent ur $iaWp.@. The company is planning for other extensions and possibly the acquisition o1 other lines.