The Irish standard., 1906-03-24
ORDERS PROBE Of
SHIPPING FRAUDS
INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED DIE.
ORDINATIONS ASKED By
COMMISSION.
NOTICE SAYS THAT
ROADS ARE FAVORED
Interstate Commerce Body Calls for
Investigation on This Theme
Session to Commence Friday-In-
teresting Developments Promised.

Washington, March 22.-The inter-
state commerce commission Wednes-
day gave out for publication the fol-
lowing notice: Upon reports to the
commission that many shippers in and
about the city of New York have been
persistently underbilling and misrep-
resenting freight shipped by railroads
from that city and other points in east
ern territory, the commission has Or
dered an investigation and set the
matter down for hearing at United
States court rooms, New York city, on
Friday, March %. at 10:30 a. m. 1t is
expected that some highly interesting
developments will take place indicat-
ing fraud on the part of the shippers
which amount to forced rebates from
published tariff rates."
Details Arc Held Back.
The members of the commission
vera l0ath to give any of the details
which led to the decision to conduct
the investigation, but the information
was impaired that beyond question the
underbilling was intentional. and that
the shipments were deliberately mis-
classified In order to secure the low
er freight rates. No one at the Of
fees of the commission was willing
to admit that the railroads were a
party to the alleged frauds. Many
witnesses have been subpoenaed to be
present ut the hearing.
Urges Preservation Of Falls.
II Niagara falls are to be preserved
as one of the wonders of the world
immediate action by the United States
and Canada Is required. according to
the findings of the American members
of the international waterways COM
mission which has for the past year
been studying the conditions at the
falls and In the tributary great lakes.
This report signed by Gen. o. H. Ernst,
chairman, and the other American
members of the commission, was
Wednesday submitted to congress by
Secretary Taft with letter calling at
tention to the urgency of the case.
Corporations Engaged.
After brief description of the ply
steal conditions, the report gives a
detailed account of all the corporations
now engaged in the development of
power, with the quantities of water
which they are actually using, the
amounts which they arc preparing to
use, and the amounts which they are
authorized under their charters to use.
1t includes not only corporations TAX
ing water directly from the Niagara
river, but also those drawing water
for power purposes from the Erie
canal and the Welland canal; also the
Chicago drainage canal, and furnishes
Il list of all franchises granted and not
perfected.
Amount Of Water Diverted.
The report says: "The total quantity
of water to be taken from the river by
works now authorized IL 6O,90O cubic
feet per second. OF this amount &c.
700 cubic feet is to be taken on the
American side. and the remainder,
$4,000 cubic feet, on the Canadian
side. That is. % per cent. OF the
average discharge and 80 per cent. of
the low-water discharge of the Niagara
river will cease to pass over the falls
when these works are completed and
In full operation. The quantity to be
diverted is more than double the guam
tity which now passes over the Amer
lean fall, which at the average stage
is about 1880 cubic feet. That this
will in general have an Injurious ef-
feet upon tho fails seems self-evident.
The volume of water to DO diverted
is about equivalent of tho entire dis
charge of Lake Superior over the Sault
Ste. Marie. The amount thus far
actually diverted is but 1880 cubic
feet per second, and has had an ap-
preclable effect upon the falls.