Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-04
Interstate Commerce Commission
About 10 Investigate Com.
plants Of Undue Rates.
CAR SERVICE IS TOO POOR
Shippers Declare That They Cen.
NIT Get Rolling Stock, While RAJ,
roads Pile Up Earnings-lnauiry
Aimed at Coal Roads ard the In.
ereasine Charges for Fuel,

WASHINGTON, =. c. Dec. $50
many complaints have been received
mt railroads. are increasing divi-
uehds while failing to give adequate
car service that the Interstate Com
iierce commission is about to start
upon one of the most important
investigation in its history.
II Will take up the question of
increased dividends in connection
with assertions that they are the re.
suit of unduly high rates. In con.
nectiop with the shortage of cars
there are intimations that some shin
pere are favored at the expense of
others.
Generally railroad rates have not
Deen reduced. The tendency has
been to higher figures, but the prn-
cipal grievance Of shippers is that
.hey cannot get the cars to transport
the goods, and these complaints have
become general. They have been
pouring m On the commission al
the rate of hundreds day.
Al this time the railroad stock
holders have been receiving melons
and increased dividends. One ex.
ample was the ten per cent diyi.
dend OF Union Pacific. Another
was the ten per cent extra dividend
OF the Lackawanna. Still another
was the division OF valuable rights
ny the Pullman Company.
The investigation of the increased
dividends in connection with the
shortage Of rolling stock will he
undertaken by the commission i'm
mediately, and be followed by an in
Yestfgation of the relation between
increased dividends and the increased
cost of articles OF necessity.
Saving on Rolling Stock.
One point that Is made By many
CDn!plainants is that where railroads
ere practical in combination, as
is the case with the anthracite lines.
instead OF taking all the tralnc they
can get and providing facilities for
it, they are saving money on rolling
stock and favoring certain Slippers
In certain localities.
If this can be established it will
prove the existence of n widespread
evil that the rate bill was designed
10 check, ana make necessary rec
concentrations to Congress for the
passage Of q law empowering the
commission to compel railroads to
supply cars and rolling stock for
ali traffic offered
Petitions received By the Inter
state Commerce Commission also
recite eXorbitant dividends paid by
all the express companies, and these
are put forth as conclusive evidence
OF the ability Of the companies t.
do business ut lower rates. Many
OF the petitioners assert that if the
traffic companies, by reducing grades,
removing curves and improving term
inals and switching facilities, are
able to haul freight at less cos:
there should be reduction OF
freight. rates
Aimed at Coal Roads.
II is believed the investigation by
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion will be especially directed At
tie roads dealing in coal which we:,o
the subject of an inquiry by the old
commission last year. Notwithstand
ing the advance in the price Of coal
in recent years, as made by the raj
roads, ii is found the top has not
vet been reached. 1t is pointed OUT
that while the price of coal to the
consumer is continually going UP,
directors OF well known coal roads,
IRE declaring extra dividends.
One question the Interstate Com
mercc Commission will answer before
i. is through with this subject is
this:-"If the anthracite roads are
making so much money that extra
dividends can be paid, would it not
be more equitable to share the pro-
its with the public by reducing the
price of coal2"