Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-29
EXP RESS COMP AN|ES
Have Their Inning Before |. c.
C. Today.
DELAY is STRONGLY URGED
Elaborate Explanations Of Rate
Schedules Scheme.
CLARK ASKS SHARP QUESTION
Wanted to Know Why Companies
Couldn't File Present Rates
Right Now.
DELAY is STRONGLY URGED
CLARK ASKS SHARP QUESTION

Couldn't File Present Rates
Right Now.
Express companies from all over the
country had their innings before the inter-
state commerce commission today and re-
ported progress on the work of preparing
and filing their schedules of rates with the
commission. There were five members OF
the commission on the bench today, Chair
man Knapp, Senator Cockrell, Judge Glenn
ents and the two new commissioners,
Franklin Lane and Mr.. Clark, the latter
formerly of the Brotherhood of Railway
Conductors.
Mr.. Clark asked a question that apparent
ly was in the minds Of all the laymen pres
ent, why it was, II all the agents of the
express companies had the rates to various
points and could tell the customers how
much 1t would cost to send a package Of any
weight to any place-that the companies
could not Immediately file all these rates
with the commission instead of pleading
for several months of delay
Commissioner Cockrell said that, as he
understands it, there was never any trouble
ABOUT a citizen finding out how much the
express company wanted him to pay; the
kick OF the citizen was usually at having to
pay that much.
Frank Piatt, who was present as general
counsel Of the United States Express Com
pany, said that this was entirely a miscon-
ception, that the public as rule was en-
tirely satisfied with express rates; that in
all the fifteen years of his experience he
mad never heard of a complaint, or, If SO. 1t
had been so long ago he had forgotten
about 1t.
Mr.. Crosby, the vice president and general
manager of the United States Express Com
pany, thought he could explain the delay
IN making out the rates for fling and did
go Into an elaborate explanation Of how the
several million rates were all made I'D from
one original sheet. But UP to the close
of the hearing there did not seem to be
any very definite answer to Commissioner
Clark s. question.
Explanations Handy.
Each of the express representatives had
long explanation handy as to just how
much work the making out of the tariffs
involved Mr.. Plat said that there were
1,O1O sheets. with 375 rates to sheet, in
their straight tariff alone: that there would
be over 5000 pages in the completed vol
ume. and that they had 5000 of their own
omces to deal with, to say nothing of as
many more Offices in the companies with
which they had combination arrangements
All OF these combination rates, he said had
to be worked out. But it was not explained
at any stage Of the hearing just how the
express companies were working and earn
ing dividends while all this clerical work
was being DONE
]. H. Bradley spoke for the American
Express Company and had about the same
statement to make, varying only as to the
figures He said that making out the
schedules and combination rates involved
an immense amount of clerical work but
ne thought the company's own rates would
be ready about November /. This was the
date that all the other companies seemed to
think would see their own rate work fin
tshed, but no suggestion was made as to
when the combination rates could be filed.
Mr.. Platt, in making a supplemental
statement, said that the business of an ex-
press company was very different from and
more complicated than that of railroad
He said the clerical work at the terminals
and the hauling of goods at both ends of a
run constituted about half of the expense
involved in handling package, and that
the railroad charges constituted only about
half the other expense.
The express officials who were present at
the hearing were: ]. H. Bradley, general
traffic manager American Express Com
pany, New York, N. Y. (also representing
Western Express. Toronto, Canada; c. II.
Crosby, vice president and general manager
United Express Company, New York, N.
y; D. s. Elliott, general manager Great
Mimi: J. T. Hendricks, freight traffic man.
agers Western Maryland railroad, Balh-
more. Md William T. Hunter. general
freight agent, Western Maryland railroad.
Baltimore, Md: M. T. Jones. superintend-
emit Of traffic United States Express Com
pany. Al Broadway. New York; Chas A.
Macatee, jr.. Chesapeake and Ohfo-railway.
Clifton Forge. Va: Chas. L. Loop. vice
tanooga, Tenn; Jno. D. Ludlow, traffic
manager Wells, Fargo & Co. Express (also
representing Pacific Express Company:
Frank H. Platt. general counsel United
49, Ny,4c ~ Cy,,t 1oyy
freight tariff agent Western Maryland rail-
road, Baltimore, Md: ]. Zimmerman, su-
perintendent traffic Adams Express Com
pany.
"Be Good" Says Knapp.
At the conclusion of the hearing given by
the interstate commerce commission to the
railway men yesterday afternoon. Chair
man Knapp of the commission gave them
the scantily consoling advice to be good
as they could and mind their attorneys.
This was not exactly the way he put it.
but that was what It amounted to.
Thirty-four representatives of the Trunk
putting their cases before the commission.
It was the first day on which the new
law was operative, and the railroad men.
after assuring the commission that they
all wanted to obey the law, made q number
of inquiries as to what the law meant.
They wanted to know about the require
ment that the tariffs of the various roads
should be posted in each station, and
whether it would not do equally well to
post a notice that the tariffs were avail
able and leave them in custody of the sta
ton agent. They also wanted to know
about switching tariffs. and they wanted
additional time to prepare their freight tar
ifs for filing with the commission.
All these were points that had been gone
over and over with the commission for
months past, but the railroad men seemed
to think that they ought to put the case
afresh. The summing up of the whole
matter came at the afternoon session. when
Chairman Knapp speaking officially, said
that the commission wished a little more
time before rendering decision on any Of
the points raised and he therefore would
advise the railroad men to do their best
to obey the provisions of the law as they
understood 1t and to trust to their attorneys
for guidance till they heard something fur
Their from the commission itself.
Authors Audacious Venture.
When E. F. Benson. son of the Archbish-
op Of Canterbury. wrote ''Dodo'' all Eng
land was shocked. Now he hassfollowed
with 1.-THE House Of Defence" a novel