The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-08
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FREIGHT RATES RAJ I }.
Corporation, Commission! Under
takes a work Pleasing to
Shippers.
HAVE H VI. UNIFORM UNI CHARGES 8:
.s5 :-------
All Virginia Roads May Have
Same Rates and CLASH CLASH
fication.
HAVE UNIFORM CHARGES 9; 4 # ! {: $

rho State Corporation Commission mas
ISSUED notice to the Atlantic Coast Line
pnd other leading roads IN the Stalc'
fixing a hearing for the 18th OF septemn-
Der In the most important matter yet
undertaken by that body, the result OF
which will be awaited by the people OF
the State with the deepest interest. IN
the paper sent out to be served on the
railroads, they are notified that on me
18th Of September. the commission VIII
hear any objections they may have to a
row uniform freight classification for use
in Virginia, accompanied by distance
tables and ratio sheets, prescribing inc
rates on numerous articles. The new pro-
rosed classification and distance sheets,
G, freight tariffs, were printed ana
copies were served with the notice to the
railroads.
a reporter yesterday requested Colonel
John S. HARDWOOD to give his views on the
subject Of the proposed new classi fication
| end rates, which he consented to do. Col
| cnel ITarwood has long been promi-
nent and active member in the Trnvelers'
| Protective Association. one of the largest
| commercial organizations IN tho country,
| and has been giving considerable htten-
| Ito mt transportation matters.
| Colonel HARDWOOD said that tho method
| OF rate making was but little understood
| by the public at large and was dlthcult
| of explanation The foundation of the
making Of rates was what was known
| among railroad men and shippers, as a
| ofo oil Ioo ahnIp a q
various classes Of freight in groups or
| classes, the same freight rate applying
| to all articles in one class. In addition
| ia this, some leading articles were taken
cut of the classification and special rates
applied to them, known as commodity
rates.
Uniform Classification
He said that there had been in use in
| Virginia for many years two such ella ssh
4 fications, known as the Official classlfi-
| cation" and the Southern cass flea
| tion," these two classficatlons, them
! selves, being greatly modified by the
railroads 50 that it WIS exceedingly --i-
cult for a shipper, and oftentines for the
agent of the railroad to find out what
the rate was on a given article Of freight
| for a certain distance.
| THE action proposed by the commits
sion, If put into effect. will have one
Uniform classifcati of freight. which
| must be observed by all the roads, and
| to which a shipper can turn, and with
the freight tariffs or sheets in his hand,
would be able to ascertain easily, what
the rate was on any given article. This
! uniform classification had been examined
l by Colonel Harwood, and he considered
the work to have been admirably done,
4 embracing, as ittdid, some seventy pages
i OF print.
In addition to the. great usefulness Of
this uniform classic cation, the effect Of
1t, taken together with the new rates,
n would be to lessen the rates on great
many leading articles of shipment par
ticularly upon many OF the staple neces-
stiles Of life. The proposed classlhca-
4 ton and rates will be Of great benefit
to all the cities Of the Commonwealth.
and Of no less and. perhaps, OF greater
benefit to the people in the country, in
shipping their produce
Great Saving to Shippers.
Another matterito which Colonel Har-
wood called attention was to the rule
contained In the classification, requiring
that all small packages should be rated
Z at their actual weight, with minimum
charge. allowed to the railroads, Of 25
per cent. for any single shipment. He
explained that as the matter now stands,
the railroads consider no package as
Weighing less than one hundred pounds.
so that. although it might weigh but
: twenty-five pounds, the shipper had &c
pay on a weight of one hundred pounds
This would evidently be great saving t.
shippers of small parcels
On the whole.&in Colonel HARDWOOD
opini.n, the work done by the commits
sion was, not only admirably done, hu'
also, in the highest degree commcndanle
He said he did not believe that such 2
task had been undertaken ana conp'e r,,.
mn,,a, Ma circumstances existing In Wiz
gin'a, by any railroad commission tho,
had been created In any other State u
the country Colonel Harwooa /, s ,,, tn n,sI
Than have compiled this classificatlo
and rates, it would have justified Its ere "a.
: lion lion and ali expense connected with it,
existence He said further tha,, do doubt y,
80 effoct of this new system of rate!
and # might be, and 1t probably woulf