Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-10-09
HEARING date SET
WASHINGTON RAILROAD COMMITS.
sion FILES COMPLAINT.
Designed TO Compel Railroads TO
Establish Joint RafcS-riaffer
Will Be Heard at CoIfax NOVem-
Der Storm of Papers Ap.
proved BY Attorney General.

Olympia, Oct. 6.-The Washington
railroad commission, on its own mo-
ton, has filed with itself complaint
against four railroads, designed to
compel joint freight rates. Copies OF
the complaint are being prepared for
service, so that the hearing will be
had at Colfax on November 5, after
the requisite thirty days notice has
expired.
Chairman Fsirchild arrived here
yesterday morning and at once began
the preparation Of the complaint,
which fills about eight pages Of type
written matter. The complaint in its
present form has the approval of Attor-
uey General Atkinson, TO whom it was
exhi bited by Chairman Fairc hid.
Defendants Named.
The railroads named as defendants
are the Great Northern, the Northern
Pacific, the Oregon Railroad & Navi-
CATION Company and the Washington
& Colum bia River railway.
The Seattle complaints, as we'll as
the Roslyn Colfax coal complaint,
and, in fact, the whole joint rate mat
ter, is raised by the new complaint,
which recites each instance separately,
and asserts that the failure to make
joint rates by the railroads between
points within the state and the charg-
ing Of local freight tariffs on each road
is unjust and unreasona BILE.
II sre 90 no q
operation Of the several defendant
roads. 1t is then recited that at Spo-
kane there are facilities for the ex.
change Of less than carload freight
shipments between the Great Northern,
o. r. & N. and Northern Pacific roads,
and that such roads have exchanged
such freight there, and have in the
past made joint rates for the trans
portation Of freight from points on one
Of such roads to points on another road
through such transfer point, Spokane.
Similar facilities are alleged to exist
for exchange Of freight at the follow.
ing junction points:
At Pasco, where the Northern Pa.
cidc and the Washington and Colum-
bia River roads connect. At Wallula
junction, where the o. R. & N. and
Columbia River roads connect.
Both at Pssco and Wallula, it is
alleged, the railroads have exchanged
freight in the East under joint rates.
Some Of the Charges.
1t is then alleged in turn that the
shippers have demanded and have been
refused joint rates by the several roads
through Spokane, Pssco and Wallula
functions, and have been forced to pay
local rates on each road, which rates
are said to be unjust and unreason.
able.
Instances are cited generally that
persons on the Northern Pacific and
Great Northern are denied joint rates
through Spokane, via the O. r. & N.
to Southern Washington points.
The Northern Pacific is charged
with having established rule by
which such shipments from points en-
its line are hauled to Portland and
there turned over to the o. r. & N.
for shipment to Eastern Washington
points at rates equal to the Northern
Pacific rate to Portland, plus the O.
r. &c n. rate from Portland to desti.
nation.
1t is charged that the people in
Southeastern Washington DESTROYS Of
shipping hay, corn, millstuffs, etc., to
Puget sound have been denied joint
and reasonable rates through the nat
ural connections, Wallula and Pasco.
The Roslyn case is also incorporated,
and the charge is made that instead Of
the old rate through Pasco, the rate is
&2.25 ton more, because the O. r.
& n. refuses to make rate from Wal
lula junction, and freights have to be
paid at local rates through Portland.
The procedure requires the railroads
to answer and bring evidence to show
that the rates are not unreasonable,
and to show cause why joint rates are
not esta blished.