The Saint Paul globe., 1905-04-07
CANNON FALLS WINS
Big RATE VICTORY
Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion Decision Against
Railroads
Globe Special Washington Service
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1911 u street
WASHINGTON, April 6.-The deci-
sion of the Cannon Falls grain rate
case handed out today by the inter-
state commerce commission, after a
two years consideration, consists of
ruling without any order. The COM
mission declares that Cannon Falls
has suffered from discriminating
rate made TO favor Chicago and Min
neapolis; but the opinion holds that
practically all the business which is
involved is that originating and ending
within the state of Minnesota, and, not
being interstate commerce, must be
regulated by the Minnesota commits
sion and not by this one
The official abstract of the decision
given out by the commission follows:
The interstate commerce commission to-
DAY, in an opinion by Chairman Knapp,
announced its decision in the case OF the
cannon Falls Farmers Elevator company
way company and the Chicago. Milwaukee
a 81 Paul railway company. The impor-
tant iactS OF the case and the points de-
eided by the commission are as follows:
Entitled to Equal Rates
With competition for carriage of grain
70 and via Duluth and other northern lake
ports rates OF 10 cents on wheat and \
cents on other grain from Minneapolis to
Sh1cago are as high as can be obtained
by all rail lines between those points. and
PENDANTS from Minneapolis to East St
Louis. has fixed the rate by all rail lines
at 10 cents per 100 pounds, and this also
eontrols the rate to Louisville. Rates
from Cannon Falls. a point in Minnesota
Iorty-elght miles from Minneapolis, to
Chicago. East st. Louis and Louisville
are also competitive rates, and in its COM
petition with Minneapolis Cannon Falls is
entitled to as low rates to common points
as the difference in conditions will permit
In view. however, of the desirability of
keeping open the Minneapolis market to
Cannon Falls grain. the short distance be-
tween those points. and the low rate from
Minneapolis forced by competition IL is
apparently not unjust that the grain rate
from Cannon Falls should be as high as
the local rate to Minneapolis plus a 71k
cent rate therefrom to Chicago, provided
the cannon Falls dealer is not thereby
subjected to a disadvantage as compared
with the Minneapolis grain dealer
Under the present rate conditions the
cannon Falls shipper is subjected to dis
advantage as follows:
First-The combination of rates ON rye
ana other coarse grain from Cannon Fails
TO Minneapolis and Minneapolis to Chicago
rs one-haf cent less than straight rate
OF 10 cents from Cannon Falls to Chicago
and this Is without Justification
Second-The favorable location of Can
non Falls with reference to Minneapolis
and Duluth and competitive advantage TO
which the Cannon Falls dealer is entitled
by reason of the route via Duluth, are
neutralized to an extent by manipulation
OF billing at Minneapolis, whereby Cannon
Falls grain sold in Minneapolis can be re-
consigned to Duluth under substituted
billing and the balance Of a through
rate, resulting in a less. total charge
which may amount to cents or more
from Cannon Falls to Duluth than the
charge on a through shipment from Can
non Falls TO Duluth.
Third-The rate on rye. barley and other
coarse grain from Cannon Falls to Louis
vile or East st. Louis is wrongfully high
er than the rate on wheat between same
points. Walter E. Clark.