The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-03
MINNESOTA PASSENGER
RATES ARE REASONABLE
Railroad Commission Says Suggested
Changes Are Not Desirable.

Passenger rates charaAd by the rail-
roads operating in Minnesota are rca-
sonable; reduction is not practicable
and second class rate is neither de-
sirable or in demand. Such are in
brief the essentials of a report Of the
railroad and warehouse commission
returned yesterday TO the senate
In March, 1902, n concurrent resolu-
tion was adopted by senate and house
calling for an investigation by the
railroad and warehouse commission
into the reasOnableness of the passen-
ger rates then In force on the Mime
sofa railroads with q view Of their re-
duction to not less than 2 cents or
more than 212 cents per mile. and
the establishment of cheaper second
class rate. The commission was di-
rected to make such orders as IT Deem
ed necessary, and TO return such or
ders with its report TO the present leg
islature.
The investigation seems to have
satisfied the commission not only
that the rates are reasonable, but de-
VelopS the rather unexpected fact that
the maximum rate in Minnesota is less
than that charged in more than half
the states in the Union. The investi-
cation was commenced in April, 1902.
and the report, together with a half
dozen statistical tables, was yesterday
sent TO the senate. The important fea-
lures of the report less the tables fol-
low:
"On April % all of the railway compan-
les In the state were represented at the
hearing
After much discussion the commits
sion concluded that certain statistical in
formation was essential in order 10 enable
them to intelligently consider the mat
ter, and for this reason on adjournment
was taken to July 10. 1902. IN the mean
time, certain forms We're sent out 10
lang NIL Qglf
formation.
1.-The responses received and the testi-
mony given at the hearing on July 10,
together with the correspondence with the
many large railway systems Of the coun-
try all tend to show that il is impossible
for the railway companies to state with
any degree of accuracy the divisions of
cost Of conducting the passenger and
freight service.
I'm any cases where they attempt to
make the division. much OF it IS clearly
made on an arbitrary basis. and any
basis used for one company cannot he
made 70 apply TO another. Should the
commission apply the basis as shown by
the companies reporting it would mean
that in number of cases il would show
the cost per passenger per mile much
greater than the earnings per passenger
per mile.
1.-The only approximation the commits
sion could use for the records on file in
their office would be on the basis Of earn
ingS and the various conditions would not
permit of the same basis being applied To
all railroad companies alike.
THE adjourned meeting took place on
July Is, as stated above, the companies
being represented principally by their le-
gal and traffic departments, and after
considerable discussion and evidence TAX
en- papers were fled by the 500 line
the Minneapolis & ST. Louis and Great
Northern and Illinois Central railways.
The meeting adjourned subject TO the
call of the commission, il further con-
ference was found necessary"
Commissioner Henry Fink, OF New
York. chairman of the Norfolk * Western
railway. in analyzing and reviewing re
cent opinion and decision Of the interstate
commerce commission. quotes as follows;
Notwithstanding the manifest impos-
sibility of making a proper appOrtiOnment
of the expenses of Il railroad between
the passenger and freight service. at
tempts have frequently been made TO solve
the problem by adopting as a basis Of
division according to the individual iUdg-
ment of the officers of railroads. the Nile
age of freight and passenger trains the
car mileage, the gross tonnage. includ-
ing dead weight and the revenue from
freight and passengers. Some railroad
officers have even attempted to construct
mathematical formulas for the purpose
of determining the question Of the cost
of transportation of freight and passen-
gers. AS might have been expected. the