The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1905-09-08
sTUDIEs Il. II. RATES.
Commissioner Lawrence Visits East
ern states TO Learn Method.

ern states TO Learn Method.
s. c. Lawrence. state railroad com
missioner. has returned to Whitman
county Tor the first time since his APP
pointment, on a tour of the middle
west states 10 secure data and informa-
tion for the guidance Of thecommission
in It's work in his state He gives the
following statement regarding his trip:
"As the people of the state are deep
ly interested in the work Of the com
mission and have a right TO know what
it is doing. a statement regarding my
trip and its objects and results will
probably be read with interest. The
object Of the trip was to secure details
ofoff1ce methods, forms, procedure, etc;
to investigate administrative methods
rs to joint rates, transient rates, dis
tributing rates aud best methods of
obtaining cost of construction of rail
ways "a required 10y our law and to at
tend the national association OF railway
commissioners. ] feel That the trip was
a success and that the Information Sea
cured will be Of great value.
The Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin,
Ohio and Illinois commissions we're Wis
tied Texas was missed on account Of
the danger Of being detained because
Of the yellow fever scare. I received
very courteous treatm mt in each state,
and the commissioners and Office forces
gave me their undivided attention.
can not speak too highly of the Mime
sofa commission and secretaries and
the work they are doing. The Wis
consin commission is a new one just
organizing under new law similar to
our own, and I believe it will prove an
efficient and conservative commission.
THE special feature in Iowa is the
distance tariff, issued by the commits
sion, from which there is no deviation,
higher or lower. wi hout the consent OF
the commission. This does away with
joint rates and distributing rates. Hi
nois has maximum tariff fixed by the
commission years ago, but existing
rates are far below this maximum.
The. commission gave very valuable
suggestion as 10 asceriaining the cost
of construction.
I secured forms Of practically all
blanks needed in the Office work, and
list Of the necessary records with
schemes for fling ease, dockeis. etc.
The practice OF the various commits
sions visited is 10 take up all written
complaints on matters of which the
commission has jurisdiction, in an in
formal way, with the head officials OF
the railways complained Of, asking that
the matter be adjusted. In this way
about 80 per cent of the complaints are
disposed OF. In the event the com
pany neglects or refuses to make salts
factory adjustment, the complainant
is asked to file a formal complaint, if
he has not already done 50, and hear
ing is ordered
THE national associ ton was very
interesting. Here ! met Messrs. Fair
child and Mcmillan, who took an ac-
tive part in the proceedings. Our com
mission was directly responsible for eN-
tending the work Of the association.
The next session viii be held in Wash
ington, D. c.
Il shall establish my residence in
Olympia, to which place I am now re-
moving with my family. My voting
place will remain in Garfield, my old
home, but ] do not expect to take any
active part in politics during my term
Of Office.