The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-31
STATE WOULD LOSE
$4,000 IN TAXES
GREAT NORTHERN OFFICIAL Elk
PLAINS RATE REVISION.
b. I. harrington Presents Tables to
Railway Commission Showing Cost Of
Conducting Traffic and Percentage of
/. Revenues storekeepers Would Gain
While Roads and Public Would Lose.

R. /. harrington. second vice presi.
dent in charge of accounts of the Great
Northern road, was the chief witness
yesterday afternoon before the railroad
and warehouse commission in the mer-
chandise rate hearing. He did not fin
ish and his examination was continued
over till today.
Mr.. harrington presented table
ing expenses, wages, cost of material,
etc, from 1896 to 1905. Under opera
ting expenses he showed that wages
have increased 20 per cent, material has
increased 60 per cent in cost, while
rates in Minnesota have been decreased
IL per cent. It has been possible with
Great Northern successfully because Of
the great increase in interstate traffic
and improved methods of railroad oper
alton. Mr.. Harrington believed that in
all fairness rates should not be fur
ther reduced, but increased.
Tonnage Decreases. ,-.
Taking the Minnesota traffic show
ing for the year 1896 as 100 per cent,
the tabulations submitted by Mr.. Far.
rington show that while the mileage of
the road in the state has steadily in
creased, the increase being 34.53 per
cent for the nine years, the number OF
tons of freight hauled per mile within
the state decreased nearly 3 per cent.
In the nine-year period there have
been only four years when the tonnage
per mile within the state exceeded that
Of 1896. These excuses were shown by
cent? f" 1851 5S3 0p per cent; 1908, Sos6
per cent; 1902, 20.S4 per cent.
This falling off is more marked IN
che average number of tons of local
freight hauled per mile Of road in the
state of Minnesota The figures Tor
1896 were 174,613 tons. In no year
since that time has the average number
of tons of local freight hauled one mile
per mile of road equaled that number.
The nearest approach to it was in 1902,
when the number of tons hauled ono
mile was 120.S4 per cent Of 1895. In
that year the number of. tons hauled
one mile per mile OF road was 9a.2o
1858 per cent, and in 1908, 1874 per
cent. which is the smallest percentage
of the 1896 figures for any of the ten
years, except the year 1897.
Revenue Falls Off.
Mr.. harrington further asserted that
fhe revenue from Minnesota business
had fallen off greater per cent than
the decrease in volume of business. The
falling off in collections was 10 to 20
per cent. -,
Chow do you account for this?"
asked Attorney G. A. Severance.
"By reductions that have been made
the last ten years in rates in effect
covering local BUSINESS was the re-
7iWhat rate reductions have been
made during this period2'' asked. Mr..
Severance.
Some Sample Reductions.
81 do not know that I can list all
Of them. ,, answered Mr.. Farringt on,
ttbut Jan. 25, 1902, the terminal class
rates, covering merchandise between
stations in Minnesota, North ad South
- Dakota were reduced on an average of
about Is per cent. This reduction was
HJune 4, 1904, distributing rates in
effect from St Paul. Minneapolis and
Duluth, which were made in 1902, were
applied from st. Cloud, Fergus Falls.
Moorhead and Crookston, Mimi, and
Fargo, Wahpeton and Grand Forks
N. B. These rates are, of course, class
rates, covering merchandise shipments
and are the rates which the commission
is now Investigating. The result of
this reduction is that the frst-class
rates now in effect from St. Cloud, Fer
gus Falls, Moorhead and Crookston,
were in 1896, and that the class rates
from st. Paul, Minnesota Transfer and
Minneapolis to all stations in Mime
sofa are more than IA per cent less
than they were in 1896. The distance
tariff class rates now in effect are more
than 10 per cent less than they were in
1896 Those are all merchandise rates.
"Sept. 10, 1903, the lumber rates
from eastern terminals and all mills in
Minnesota were reduced to all stations
in Minnesota and portions of North
and South Dakota from 10 to Is pei
cent, the average reduction being IL
per cent. By actual computation the
lumber rates from st. Paul, Minnesota
Transfer, Minneapolis, Superior and
Duluth are now 1853 per cent less than
they were during 1896. y.
Coal Rates Out.
stsept. 10, 1903, coal rates from Su
perior, Wis, and st. Paul and Duluth
to all points in the state Of Minnesota
and to several points in North an6
South Dakota were reduced from 10 to
so cents ton, the average reduction
being about IL per cent. By actual
computation the rates on soft coal from
& st. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and Su
perior to stations in Minnesota are now
more than Is per cent less than they
C%on~och A cho "a