The Red Cloud chief., 1906-08-31
RATE LAW IN EFFECT
ALL RAILWAYS BEGIN coMPLI.
ANcE WITH STATUTE.

Tariffs Still in Press on Date OF OPP
eration-shipper Meets but One
chsrqe-Conference in Washington.
New York, Aug. 2S.-The new rail-
road rate law, which applies to all rail
roads doing an interstate business,
went into effect at midnight last
night. II will be enforced by the In
terstate commerce commission. Ac'
cording to the new law the roads were
to have filed with the commission by
midnight all tariffs and charges. show
ing not only the full cost OF trans
portation from point to point, but also
what items go to the making up OF
this cost. From today on there can
be no extras" but the shipper is ex.
pected to be able to obtain In advance
q final statement of the charge he has
to meet.
IL was stated that in fact not a
single company has been able to COM
ply fully with the provisions OF the
law requiring them to have all their
schedules on file by midnight. The
schedule OF switching charges was the
most difficult OF completion and 1t Is
said that no road has been able to
finish 1t in time to file as the law d.
rected.
Under the law every company which
failed to complete its schedules may
be fined. but it is understood that the
interstate commerce commission will
give additional time in every case
when a road has given evidence OF
sincere intent to comply with the law.
To discuss this and other points, a
committee representing the big east.
ern railroads will go to Washington
today in order to meet the commits
sion. The conference will be attended
by representatives OF the anthracite
coal roads, who are anxious to obtain
a ruling from the commission on that
section of the law which prohibits q
railroad from carrying from state to
state any article manufactured. mined
or produced by it. except for its OWE
use. This would include coal.
It is expected that shippers will find
themselves benefited by the provision
which requires the railroads to include
all charges Of whatsoever nature IN
their quoted rates. Heretofore a
shipper has had to figure for himself
on icing, refrigerator and elevator
charges, and the dozen or more other
%incidentals, dickering with the sep.
--.. a-.~,ortao x,hinh haA a hand In
the transportation or care OF his ship
ment. Now the railroad must do that
and the shipper meets but one charge
and deals with but m concern. All
the sources OF side charges are con-
solidated and private cars, sidetracks.
spurs. terminals. elevators are made
subject to the law.
AS a direct consequence OF the pro-
vision of the rate bill. the Union Pa.
cifc railway has determined to install
its own system Of refrigerator cars.
The new law ais. requires the rail-
roads to establish a uniform system OF
accounting, and to keep their books
open for inspection at all times by the
expert accountants of the commission
The feature is expected to go far to
ward ab~olishlng the rebate evil of the
past.
Forces Of clerks from all express
companies have for the last few days
been engaged here in the task of re
vising express rates to comply will
the provisions Of the rate bill, but
-., laD.. ,,,I1A - GNi@h thntr tnGl
in time to file schedules with the in
terstate m commission before
the bill became effective. The public
will reap no benefit from the e ar
rangement. The rates will not be low
cred. The rates of every company viii
be identical with those of every other
cEPpEThpN WII CON GOEc EAc7