The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-05
CRUSADE AGAINST
TRUSTS IS BEGUN
Steel, Beef, Harvester, Private
Car Line and Railroads
Under the Ban.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service. 81
Washington, May 5.-Prosecution of
the steel trust, the beef trust, harvester
trust, the owners of private car lines
and several trunk lines of railway VIII
probably follow an investigation which
will be made Immediately by the inter
state commerce COMMISSION.
The entire commission leaves for Chi
cago to-day to begin an investigation OF
the operations of the private car lines
owned by the Armours, the 1nternation-
al Harvester company; refrigeration
fruit; terminal charges and the rebate
question in connection with private car |
lines
This investigation will have a far
reaching effect and prosecutions OF
many trusts for violations of the Elkins
antirebate law will probably follow, as
the interstate commission now mas |
great deal of evidence which shows that
this law has been violated.
Will Chnch the Cases.
The investigation is for the purpose
of clinching the cases against the of
Tenders, for relieving the public of ex-
orbitant freight charges and to devise
some plan of correcting the practice of
allowing rebates which has become so
common.
The question of the private car lines
entering into exclusive contracts with a
number of trunk lines will also be in
vestigated. Under these contracts GER
tain railroads have agreed to transport
fruits and other perishable products in
the cars owned by the private lines to
the exclusion Of all other ears. This has
increased the rates on articles Of this
class one-third, amounting in many in,
stances to as much as $50 a car.
Both Sides Stir Under Load.
Shippers Of fruit have complained to
the interstate commerce commission
against these exorbitant charges and the
railroads themselves are anxious to be
relieved Of the incubus of the private
ear lines, which have been DENOUNCED
by some of the railroad officials as pi
rates which hold up the railroads and
demand a division of freight rates, the
proportion exacted being beyond the
bounds of reason.
Railroads with terminals at New
York, Chicago, st. Louis, Baltimore,
Philadelphia and other large cities have
suffered at the hands Of the private car
lines, and they would welcome some
ton on the part of congress, which
would relieve them of the necessity of
paying tribute to these lines.
Private Car Lines
1t has been held by the interstate
i've investigation, that these private car
lines are common carriers and that thew
should publish their tariff rates, but in
stead of doing this they charge any rate
they please ard in doing so have VIC
lated the provisions of the Elkins anti
rebate law, and made themselves liable
to heavy punishment.
SO great have been these charges in
the case Of the industrial lines, like
those in the harvester trust and the pri-
vate car line owned by the steel trust,
that $l2 car has been charged where
it has been found that So would have
been ample compensation for the serv-
ice performed.
The law prevents the giving and re-
celving of rebates and these transac-
tions, according to the findings Of the
interstate commerce commission, are in
violation of law, and both the trunk and
private car lines were parties to the
violations, are liable to prosecution.
The Armour Car Lines.
Particular attention will be paid to
the transactions of the lines owned by
Armour & Co., the cars of which con.
Germ were employed in the transporta.
ton Of fruit from Michigan over the
lines of the Pere Marquette, the Mich
gan Central, and the Grand Rapids and
Indiana railroads, all of which com.
panies entered into exclusive contracts
with the Armours for the use of THEN
ears. Evidence is in the hands of the
commission which shows that in ths
transportation of this business there
has been an increase Of $50 per cent il
the charges.
The International Harvester company
and the steel trust own short lines con
Meeting their plants with various rail
roads which operate in their vicinity
Two or three years ago both these trusts
charged $3.50 a car for hauling then
over their lines, but recently these
charges were increased to $12. Already
the interstate commission has held tina