The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-22
Railroads
FIGURES ON RATES
PUZZLE OFFICIALS
EQUITABLE TARIFF SOUGHT BY
STATE COMMISSION.
Charges Based on Mileage and Graded
on Percentage Basis to Be Submitted
at Hearing Set for Next Monday
Railway Traffic Men See Unlimited
Trouble. - 3d.

Vast quantities of figures are to be
dumped on the state railroad commits
sion Monday at 10 am. These figures
are now being prepared by the railroads
in Minnesota at the request of the COM
mission. They are to throw light on
the question of Justice and equality of
the rates in force. 1t is conceded that
formation from these figures as the
members Of the commission.
The roads believe that their rates
are equitable and the figures are ex-
pected to Justify this belief, or show
the point of error. The figures are of
class that have never been classified,
and interesting facts are expected to be
revealed.
The original action of the state com
mission was in compliance with an or
der passed by the last legislature, re-
rates. About six weeks ago, at a pre-
iminary hearing, the commission gave
the roads a mileage distance tariff
| which would put in effect rates from
| distributing points, but the definition
of distributing points was not given.
Since that time the auditors Of the
different roads have been considering
this tariff and collating figures in re.
gard to actual shipments in Illinois
slider merchandise traffic solely, and
their presentation by the roads, with
! cross examination by the states attor
| ney is expected to take two days, with
a two-hour session each morning and
three hours in the afternoon The
roads will be represented by counsel.
Rigid Tariff 1mpracticable?
The mileage tariff presented by the
,IcciN
| rates from so-called distributing points
| The tariff is what is termed rigid tar
| it,. each class bearing a percentage re-
! lation to the first, so that a change in
any class would make change in all
| the rest. The commission suggested
| that a distance tariff between all other
stations should be S per cent higher.
The suggested tariff was lower than
the Illinois and lower than the Iowa dis
tance tariff, after fifty miles.
In speaking of these changeable rates
a traffic man said that he believed that
to lines having connections from such
interstate points as Chicago. st. Louis
and Milwaukee. into southwestern Min
nesota, for instance. a rigid tariff would
be impracticable.
"Suppose. he said, "the agricul-
tural implement rate from Chicago and
Milwaukee were lowered to southern
Minnesota points. They would want the
same relation to protect the Minneapo-
lis people. This could he done only by
special authority of the commission,
which would throw the whole tariff
out of line and make necessary a gen.
eral Encouragement.
"Again. the Northern Pacific and the
Great-Northern roads put in distribut-
ing rates from certain grocery jobbing
points like st. Cloud, Brainerd, Moor,
head and Crookston, on a percentage
relation basis, voluntarily before the
law prohibiting changes Of rates with
out permission. This tended to sat-
isfy compliments, but the roads say
this does not take into consideration
south lines running to territory where
competition from southern points and
river rates is felt.
"There are no thru rates from any
big distributing point to stations on
the Great Northern, Northern Pacific
and 500 lines, except south of the line
Of the Hastings & Dakota line of the
Milwaukee. Any considerable reduction
on lines in the southwest, reductions
from Chicago and elsewhere, would re-
suit in a reduction on Minnesota lines.
The roads would be poorer, and no one
would be better off. as the difference
would be consumed between the man
ufacturer and the jobber. undoubt-
edly.'