The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-31
SHIPPERS MAKE
MANY COMPLAINTS
TO COMMISSION

Washington. Aug 31.-That the ship
/, pers intend to take every advantage OF
. the operations or the new law regulat-
ing commerce and trade between the
states is shown by the number OF COM
. plants pouring In on the commission.
!. Most OF the complaints filed yesterday
cover what are really old cases, the
% only new one being petition by a mail
order house in Chicago alleging a dis
elimination against II by tho Wells
Fargo Express company
W one OF the most interesting develop
ments OF the day before the commission
!. was the receipt of "A petition that will
: have the effect OF reopening the famous
spokane Rate case" This reVises the
whole problem OF rates at interior
points as affected by water and other
competition at seaboard termini.
This case was first brought before
. the Interstate commerce commission
about Is years ago. This involves an
alleged discrimination against Spokane,
the railroads, on freight from the east
charging higher rates 10 that city than
10 the Pacific coast points, despite the
fact that Spokane is by several hundred
miles shorter haul. and that the
freight for the coast cities actually
passes through Spokane.
The city OF Spokane protested time
and again but was never able 10 get
!, relief 1t now proposes TO have the
Issue tried out under the new law. The
case Is filed as the city OF Spokane.
Wash, the Spokane Chamber OF Com
merce and the Spokane Jobbers asso-
citation against the Northern Pacific
railroad company, the Great Northern
Rainroal company the Union Railroad
= company. the Oregon Railroad and
a Navigation company and the Spokane
Falls and Northern Railroad company.
7, Edward B. Grossman a. Co. Chicago
I'D ARM II hn oil To M.
I, Express company the first express COM
pany defendant under the new law in
their complaint One OF the charges is
that dilatory methods and delays on
the part OF the railroad company
y caused the petitioner great loss; that
7, the defendant company will no longer
accept consignments from the plain
tiff except on prepayment of charges
IL is raCited that Grossman & Co. had
difficulty with Wells-Fargo owing. 10
delay in the delivery OF packages out OF
which damages grew. The complainants
declare that "out OF revenge" Wells
Fargo will no longer accept consign-
ments OF merchandise Of any kind un-
less the petitioner shall prepay the
charge OF transportation. II is pointed
out that in doing business with other
firms In Chicago Well-Fargo company
accepts packages without such prepay
ment OF charges.
J. The ST. Louis Hay and Grain com
pany, complaining against the Louis
willie and Nashville, the Mobile and
Ohio. the Illinois Central and the South
-ern Railway companies, allege discrim-
sination on shipments of hay from East
ST. Louis. A complaint filed by the
Sioux City and Rock Spring Coal Min
ing company, the Union Pacific being
named as che defendant. declares that
competing company is favored in
shipping facilities by the carrier for the
reason that the railroad officials are in
terested.
- +. u. Peck. in complaint against the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway,
, says that he ships grain from Broken
. Arrow, I. T., and other points on the
defendants line and that cars were re-
fused by the agent at Broken Arrow
because the agent himself is engaged
in the business OF shipping grain from
that point.