The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-10-11
WEDNESDAY, OCT. IL, 1906.
RAILROAD RATE INVESTIGATION.

Some interesting facts have been
made public in testimony given be-
fore Judge Bethea, at Chicago, in
connection with q suit against seven
teen railroads. The latter appear in
court as defendants in a suit brought
by the interstate m commits.
sion. 1t was discovered by the COM
mission that these railroads had been
charging more for hauling livestock
than was charged for transporting
dressed meat between the same points,
and the commission ordered that the
rates be so changed that the unfair
discrimination be abolished. The
railroads refused to obey the decree
of the commission, and the latter is
appealing to the federal court to sns.
tain its decision and compel the rail-
roads to give livestock shippers a
square deal.
a large number of witnesses haze
given testimony during proceedings,
many of them being railroad officials.
Some Of these authorities acknowl.
edged that livestock, as the less
valuable commodity. should receive
a lower freight rate than dressed
meat, but endeavored to defend the
unjust discrimination by claiming
that the packers bulldozed the rail.
roads, and practically fixed the rate
at which dressed meat shipments
should be made.
President Ripley, Of the Santa Fe
railroad, was an exceptionally good
witness on behalf Of the contention of
the interstate commerce commission.
AS a railroad man of large expert.
ence. Mr.. Ripley declared that, in his
opinion. the rate on dressed meat
should be at least so per cent. higher
than the rate on live stock, whereas
at the present time it is about Is per
cent. lower. The Santa Fe railroad,
1t appears, is the only one which
obeyed the order of the interstate
commerce commission to reduce cat
tie rates to q parity with the rates ON
dressed meat and packing house prod
uctf. the order having been made abou'
two years ago.
Another witness who gave some in
teresting testimony the past weel
was w. S. Tasker, who is described
In the dispatches as q livestock deale,
and cattle feeder. Mr.. Tasker, it ap'
pears, made shipments of cattle fron
Missouri river points to Chicago, the
regular freight rate being Is cents 6
hundred. After q careful study o;
transportation charges, however, b.
discovered that by billing his ship
ment by way OF South St. Paul, h,
could get it to Chicago at a rate of Ii,
cents a hundred, although the hau
over this route was about 800 mile,
greater. This was a clever way O
outwitting the railroad rate-makers
and Mr.. Taskcr failed to see anythinl
wrong in thus taking advantage .
the situation. a railroad attorne,
charged the witness with taking uu
fair advantage Of rates intended TO
through shipments from western
ranges, but Mr.. Tasker claimed tn
railroads could afford to haul his cat
tie at as 10" u rate as was charged 70
shipments from western points.
This instance OF peculiar livestocl
rates is similar to that discovered b,
Bitter Root fruit growers, mention O
which was made by the River Pres,
some time ago. In making q frui
shipment to Bozeman, they found tina
by billing it to Fargo, N. OAK, au,
having it shipped back from that poiu
to its destination, they could effect
saving in freight charges, although
the haul was about 1900 miles further
THE IRE VNSU.D N,1~p. .><>y