The Mena weekly star., 1906-08-30
|A[N RAIE BILL IN EFFEC1
Interstate Commerce Commission Began Tuesday Putting in Force
 Provisions New Law.
ALL THE SCHEDULES MUST BE ON FILE
Full Cost of Transportation Between Points Win he >hown-shippcrs Win Profit as There Win be No Chance to Pile Up Ex- tras-Thcir Books Opeu to the Commis- 

New York, Aug. 29.-The new rail
 road rate bill which applies to all
 railroads doing an interstate business
 went into effect at Midnight Monday
 night. It will be enforced by the in
 terstate commerce commission Ac-
 cording to the new law the roads
 were to have filed with the commis-
 sion by midnight. all their tariffs ami
 charges, showing not only the fu.
 cost of transportation from point to
 point, but also what items go to the
 making up of the cost. From Tues
 day on there can be no extras" but
 the shipper is expected to be able to
 obtain in advance a final statement
 )f the charge he has to meet.
 It was stated that in fact not a sin gle company has been aDie to con ply fully with the provisions or 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 it is said that no road has been able to finish it in time to file as the law d. rected.
 Under the law every company failing to mplete it's schedules might be fined, but it is understood that the interstate commerce commission will give additional time in every case when read has given evidence of sincere intent to comply with the law. To discuss this and other points, committee representing the big east ern railroads will go to Washington Tuesday in order to meet the com mission. This conference will be at tended by representatives of the an. thracfte ccal roads who are anxious to obtain ruling from the commis- sion on that section of the law which | prohibits railroad from carrying | from state to state any article manu- factured, mined or produced by 1t ex- | cept for its own use. This would in- | clude coal.
 It is expected that shippers will l find themselves benefited by the pro | vision which requires the railroads to include all charges of whatsoever na- | ture in their quoted rates. Heretofore
 shipper has had to figure for him
 self on icing, refrigerator and elevator | charges and the dozen or more other incidentals. dickering with the separ- | ate companies which had a hand in | transportation or care of his ship- ment. Now the railroad must do that
 and the shipper meets but one charge | and deals with but one concern. All | the sources of side charges are con
 solidated and private cars, side tracks | spurs. terminals, and elevators are
 made subject to the law
 l The new law also requires the rail roads to establish uniform system Of
 accounting and to keep their booki | open for inspection at all times by
 the expert accountants of the com 1 mission. The feature Is expected to | go far toward abolishing tue reoate | evil of the past. The railroad ac- countants are now conferring in re- | gard to the uniform system of book | Keeping, w..ich, however. will not go | nto esfec. until June l next year. iii | the meantime the commission has put it's own experts at work devising a | ,ystem which will be clear enough ! 10 suit the commission.
 As direct consequence of the
 provisions of the rate bill, the Union | Pacific railway has determined to in
 stall it's own system of refrigerator cars. Heretofore the Armour pri- l yate cars have had monopoly Of this business over the Union Pacific | and Southern Pacific with all the
 profitable California fruit trade.
 The Union Pacific Monday opened l bids for the construction of 6,00J
 steel underbody refrigerator cars and
 is likely to ask for bids for another lot soon.