The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-18

WASHINGTON. August l5.-Fhe Inter-I
State Commerce Commission. on itsI
cwn initiative. and as q result Of com-I
plants against IVA car lines. to-
day unexpectedly hogan an investiga-l
tiCn Of the relations between railroads
n 1tfrigeratOr lines. by which it isl
charged that the act to regulate in
ter state is beinE violated
IT. several specified particulars. ThcI
complaint set forth by the commission
is directed against the Armour Car
Lin the American Refrigerator
TRANSPORTATION Company. the Santa
Fe Refrigerator Dispatch and the fol-
lowing railroads:
st. Louis and San Francisco: Atchi-l
sen. Topeka and Santa Fe: ST. Louis,
ire Mountain and Southern: Central
Of Georgia. Southern: Atlantic Coast
Line: SeabOard Air Line: peRnsylva-
ria: Southern Pacific: n Kansas
City Southern.
The railroads and refrigerator linesl
are made respondents in proceedings
which require that specific answer to-
all ALLEGATIONS be made to the Inter-
State Commerce Commission by Sep
TENDER.
1t is charged that by way of rebates
or other devices the refrigerator lines
are acting for the railroads.. as au-
thoriZed agents and the railroads.
acting through the REFRIGERATOR lines,
are collecting and receiving for the REL
friseration CT fruit and vegetables
lower rates frCm some shippers than!
they are cOntemDOTaneouSly receiVingl
for similar service rendered to otherl
shippers. This is held to be in VIOLA
ton of Sections 2 and 3 Of the act
to regulate Interstate commerce.
Another charge is that failure and
neglect TO publish at shipping stations.
and file with the Interstate CummerceI
Commission the rates and charges
-nlrOsed for the refrigeration of fruits
and vegetables. constitutes a violation
of Section 6 CT the inter state conf
merce act.
The commission alleges further that
the charges published Jointly by the
refrigerator lines and the railroads forl
the refrigeration Of fruits i'll certainl
specified territories are unreasonable
and unjust and in violation of Sec-l
ticn i.
The territories as described are Mis-
OOtA1 -Nl - ANAA0 -
Texas. California. to eastern points,
Louisiana and Kansas and Georgia.
South Carolina and North Carolina to-
New York.
Complaints against the private car
lives extend over the entire life of theI
first act to regulate Interstate conf
merce. and all acts amcndatory there
to. Hearings have been & in vari-l
Gus sections of the country. and not
infrenuentiS have hangas in theI
schedules been made for the announce
eG D of remedyine of alleged
abuses. Combinations of railroads and
private car lines hav prevented any
Wholesale regulations of these rates.
Charges of determinations against
small shippers have poured in on theI
commission for a number of years. The;
matter has been made the subject of
irye Stigatitn by cCngrcSsi0nIl conf
mittpes and several laws have beenI
passed giving increased powers to thej
commission in an effort to each all
legged combinations aid to be prohihl-l
tive of the small shipper entering intol
competition with shippers leasing byI
the vear large numbers Of privatel
cars.
h action taken by the 1~nter-StateI
Commerce Commission now Indicates
a belief hat certain cases set forthl
in the proceedings can be reached
under the present laws In my eventI
the proceedings arc looked upon rs al
test. and it is declared they will prove
of inestimable value in Informing
Congress what laws are needed for nal
tional control of private a i1nesI
where combinations arc made Nlthl
railroads which affect the freight andi
refrigeration schedule.