East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-10-09
RATES ARE UNJUST
WASHINGTON RAILWAY COM
MISSION NOW AROUSED.
VIII Fix Rate ON Goal TO Suit Itself,
Regardless of Contentious OF the
Railroads-Complaints Show Many
Unjust Features in the Freight
Charges In the State.

The coal freight rate controversy in
Washington has now reached an acute
stage and the state railroad commits
sion has decided to handle the subject
TO suit their own views hereafter, A
special from Colfax says in regard to
the matter:
AS a result of the recent failure of
the railroad commission to secure a
satisfactory showing or complaint
from coal consumers in Colfax con-
cerning the rates on coal from Roslyn
to ColfaX, the commission has decid-
ed to fix joint rates on its own mo-
ton, affecting the Northern Pacific,
Great Northern, o. r. & N. and Wash
ington & Columbia River railroads,
applying to nearly all shipping and
receiving points of Importance in the
state of Washington.
The law gives the commission pow
er to fix rates upon its own motion,
after a full hearing, and to bring about
this hearing Chairman H. A. Fairchild,
of the commission. and Attorney Cen
eral ]. u. Atkinson today completed a
draft of the summons and complaint
which will bring the four railroads
named before the commission. The
hearing will be held in Colfax, Novem-
Der s.
The first draft of the complaint as
served on the railroad companies will
be practically as given in the draft.
The complaint recites that the o. R.
& n. company, Northern Pacific and
Great Northern have a junction point
at Spokane; that the Northern Pacific
and Washington G. Columbia River
companies have a junction point at
Pasco and that the o. r. & N. and
Washington & Columbia River compa-
nies have a junction point at Wal
lula, and that at each point the COM
panies have ample facilities for inter-
change of freight traffic and loaded
cars.
1t is further alleged that shippers
residing on the line of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific are
Washington points over the o. r. &
n by all three roads and are required
to send their shipments via Spokane
and from Spokane to the point of des-
tination; that shippers on the North
ern Pacific, Washington & Columbia
River and o. r. & N. to southeastern
Washington points on the o. r. & N.
and are required to pay local rates
to Pasco, from Pasco to Wallula anC
Uan nt,1o 70 he INT Af
ton; that the Northern Pacific refuse!
to route freight from Puget Sound t.
southeastern Washington via Pasco
but requires it to be shipped via Port
land; that local rates are charged t
Portland and from Portland on tn
o. r. & y. to point of destination, an'
that joint rates are refused by boti
roads; that the o. r. & N. refuses t
route freight from southeastern Wash
ington via WalluIa and Pasco to Pu
get Sound, but routes it via Portland
and that both roads charge the ship
peTs local rates.
The Roslyn-Colfax coal rate con
troversy is gene into. 1t is allege
that the distance from Roslyn to Wal
lula is 169 miles and from Wallula t
Colfax 131 miles; that prior to 100
the Northern Pacific and o. r. & \
maintained a joint rate on coal fror
Roslyn to Colfax of $3.50 per tor
which was divided equally betwee
the two roads; that the o. r. & n. no.
charges $3.50 per ton from Wallul
TO Colfax and that Colfax residents ar
compelled to purchase Wyoming cos
which is hauled 923 miles and sol
sold for $2.25 in excess of the pric
placed on Roslyn coal when the joir
rate was in effect; that the two road
refuse to re-enact the joint rate. A
these matters are declared in the con
plant to be discriminatory and unjus