The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-04-14
Decision Rendered by Interstate
Commerce Commission.
This Ruling Is a Qualified One;
a String Attachment.
Claims No Injustice Is Done in
the Chicago Schedule.

Washington, April THE interstate
commerce commission has announced its
opinion in the Cannon Falls rate case,
which has been pending for nearly two
wears. The commission is indefinite IN
its findings, but victory appears to lie
with Cannon Falls, as it is held that
some things are being done by the rail-
roads which ought not to be done, and
that Cannon Falls is entitled to as low
rates to common points as the difference
in conditions will permit.
This holding is qualified, however, by
the statement that in view of the desir-
ability of keeping open the Minneapolis
market to Cannon Falls grain, it is ap-
parently not unjust that the grain rate
from Cannon Falls should be so high as
the local rate to Minneapolis plus a
~ cent rate therefrom to Chicago, pro-
vided the Cannon Falls dealer is not
thereby subjected to disadvantage as
compared "ltH MihheaPoio Si"A o'
ers.
The statement of the decision given
out by the commission is as follows:
1.-The interstate commerce commission,
in an opinion by Chairman Knapp, an
nounced its decision in the case of the
Cannon Falls Farmers Elevator COM
pany against the Chicago Great Western
Railway company and the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul Railway COM
pany. The important facts of the case
and points decided by the commission
are as follows:
with competition for carriage of grain
to and via Duluth and other northern
lake ports, rates of 10 cents OH wheat
and ~ cents on other grain from Min
neapolis to Chicago are as high as can
be obtained by all-rail lines between
these points, and competition by lines
other than the defendants from Mime
apolis to East st. Louis has fixed a rate
by all lines at 10 cents per 100 pounds
and this also controls the rate to Louis.
VILE Rates from Cannon Falls, point
in Minnesota forty-eight miles from
Minneapolis, to Chicago, East st. Louis
and Louisville, are also competitive
rates. and in its competition with Min
neapolis, Cannon Falls is entitled to as
lou r,toz u, oop,,oon ,o;ufS oS tho diff
ference in conditions will permit.
'.In view, however, of the desirability
of keeping open the Minneapolis market
to Cannon Falls grain, the short dis
tance between these points and the low
rate from Minneapolis forced by COM
petition, it is apparently not unjust that
the grain rate from Cannon Falls should
be as high as the local rate to Minneap-
oils plus a ~ cent rate therefrom to
Chicago, provided the Cannon Falls deal
er is not thereby subjected to disadvant-
age as compared with the Minneapolis
grain dealer.
''Under present rate conditions the
Cannon Falls shipper is subjected to dis
advantage as follows:
''First-The competition of rates on
rye and other coarse grains from Can
non Falls to Minneapolis and Minneap-
oils to Chicago is one-half cent less
tnan the straight rate of 10 cents from
Cannon Falls to Chicago, and this is
without justification.
''Second-The favorable location of
Cannon Falls with reference to Mime
apolis and Duluth, and the competitive
dealer is entitled by reason of the route
via Duluth, are neutralized to an extent
by manipulation of billing at Minneap-
ais, whereby Cannon Falls grain sold
i'm Minneapolis can be consigned to Du-
luth under substituted billing and the
balance of through rate resulting in
less total charge, which may amount
to 2 cents or more from Cannon Falls
to Duluth, than the charge on through
shipment from Cannon Falls to Duluth.
"Third-The rate on rye, barley and
other coarse grain from Cannon Falls to
Louisville or East st. Louis is wrong
fully higher than the rate on wheat be-
tween the same points"
In the printed opinion Chairman
Knapp goes into the facts of the case
as shown by briefs of the parties to the
suit, and in conclusion says:
''The really controlling condition in
this case, as it seems to us, is that the
local rate into Minneapolis, plus the 71s
cents to Chicago, makes as high rate
as can be obtained under the competition
for the same grain to or via Duluth. In