Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1905-08-23
PRIVATE CAR LINES
Many Complaints From Many Sec
tlons lave Been Lodged
COMMISSION ACTS
Southern, seaboard, Atlantic Coast
Line and Other Railroads Along
With the Armour Car Line ind
Other Such Concerns Are Made Re
spondents in Proceedings.

Washington, Special.-The inter-
State commerce commission, on its own
initiative and as result of complaints
against nrivate car lines, unexpectedly
began an investigation OF the relations
between railroads and refrigerator
lines. by which it is charged that the
act to regulate Interstate commerce is
being violated in several specified par
ticulars. The complaint set forth by
the commissiou is directed against the
Armour Car Line, the American Refris-
orator Transportation Company, the
Santa Fe Refrigerator Dispatch, and
the following railroads:
St. Louis & San Francisco, Atchison,
Topeka 6: Santa Fe, st. Louis. Iron
Mountain & Southern, Central of Geor-
ria, Southern Atlantic Coast Line, Sea-
board Air Line, Pennsylvania, South
ern Pacific, and Kan.as City South
ern.
The railroads and refrigerator lines
are made respondents in proceedings
which require that specific answer to
all alterations be made to the inter-
State commerce commission by Septem-
ber S.
1t is charged that by way OF rebates
or other devices the refrigerator lines
are acting fol fhe railroads as author
lied agents, and the railroads, acting
through the refrigerator lines, are col
lecting and receiving for the refrigera-
tion of fruit and vegetables lower rates
from some shippers than they are con-
tenporaneuusly receiving for similar
service rendered to other shippers. ms
is held to lie in violation Of section 2
and 8 OF the act to regulate Interstate
commerce.
Another charge is that failure and
neglect to publish at shipping stations
and file with the Interstate commerce
commission the rates and charges I'M
posed for the refrigeration of fruits ana
vegetables constitutes violation OF
section Of the Interstate commerce
act. -
The commission alleges further that
the charges published jointly by the re-
frigerator lines and the railroads for
the refrigeration of fruits in certain
specified territories are unreasonable,
unjust and in violation of section l.
The territories described are Missouri,
Arkansas, Indian Territory, Texas,
California to Eastern points, louisiana
and % Kansas. and Georgia, South Caro-
lima and North Carolina. to New
York.
Complaints against the private car
lines extend over the entire life or the
first act to regulate Interstate COM
merce and all acts anendatory thereto.
Hearings have been had in various Sec
tions of the country, and not inrre-
ouently have changes in the schedules
been made for the announced purpose
of remedying alleged abuses. Comol-
nations of railroads and private car
lines have prevented any wholesale
regulation of these rates. Charges OF
-iminations against small shippers
have poured in on the commission tor a
number Of years. The matter has been
made the subject of investigation by
con grsssional committees, and several
laws have been passed giving increased
powers to the commission in an efort
to reach alleged combinations said 70
be prohibitive Of the small shipper en-
tering into competition with shippers
leasing by the year large numbers OF
private cars.
The action taken by the Interstate
commerce commission now indicates q
helief that certain cases set forth IN the
proceedings can be reached under the
present laws. In any event, the pro,
ceedings are looked upon as test anu
it is declared they will prove OF lnestl-
mable value in informing congress
what new laws are neeeed for natlonal
control of private car lines where com
binations are made with railroads
which affect the freight and refrlgera-
ton scedule.