Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-08-28
Stringent New Interstate Rail-
road Rate Law Goes Into Ef-
fect-WiII Be Strictly En-
forced by Commission,
COMP PANIES FAIL TO GET
THEIR SCHEDULES READY
Fines Passed Up If Railroad
Has Shown Conscientious
Desire to CompIy-WiII Ben
eft DeWntrodden Shipper,

New York, Aug, 27.-The new rail-
road rate law. which applies to all
railroads doing an interstate business,
will go into effect at midnight to-
night. 1t will be enforced by the n
terstate commerce commission. Ac-
cording to the new law the roads
were to have filed with the commits
sion by midnight all their tariffs AMI
charges, showing not only the full
cost from point to point, but also
what items go to making up the cost.
From Tomorrow on there will be no
extras" but the shipper is expected
to be able to obtain in advance final
statement of the charges he has to
meet.
1t was stated that in fact not a
single company has been able to
comply fully with the provisions of
the law requiring them to have all
their schedules on file at 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 us
the law directed
Under the law every company which
fails to complete its schedules may
he fined, but It Is understood that
the interstate commerce commission
will give additional time in case a
road has given evidence of sincere
Intention 10 comply with the law. To
discuss this and other points, a com
Inittee representing the big eastern
roads will go to Washington tomor-
row In order to meet the commission.
This meeting will be attended by
the representatives of the anthracite
coal roads who are anxious to obtain
II ruling from the commission on that
section of the law which prohibits a
railroad from carrying from state to
state any article manufactured. mined
on produced by It, except for its own
use. This would include coal
1t is expected that shippers will
find themselves benefited by the pro-
vision Which requires the railroads
TO include all charges of whatsoever
nature in their quoted rates. Here
tofore the shipper has had to figure
for himself on icing, refrigerator and
elevator charges, and the dozen or
more other incidentals. besides dick
ering with the separate companies
which had hand in the care of his
shipment. Now the railroads must
do all this and the shipper meets but
one charge and deals with but one
concern.
All sources of side charges are con-
solidated, and private cars, side tracks
spurs, terminals and elevators arr
made subject to the law. The new
law also requires the railroads to es-
tablish system of accounting, and
to keep their books open for inspec-
tion at all times by the expert ac-
countants Of the commission. This
feature is expected to go far toward
abollshing the rebate evil of the past
The railroads accountants are now
comforting in regard to the uniform
system of bookkeeping which. how
ever, will not go into effect until June
next year. In the meantime the
commission has put its own experts
to work deVising a system which will
be clear enough to suit the commits
sion.
Forces of clerks from all the eX-
press companies have for the last few
days been engaged here in the task ol
revising the express rates to comply
with the provisions of the rate bill, but
have been unable to finish their task
in time to file schedules with the in
terstate commerce commission before
the bill became effective.
The public will reap no benefit from
the new arrangements. The rates will
Z not be lowered. The rates of every
company will be identical with those
af every other. AS direct conse-
quence of the provision of the rate bill
the Union Pacific railroad has deter
mined TO install It's own system Of re
frlgerator cars. Heretofore the Ar
mour private cars have had mo-
nopoly of this business over the Union
and Southern Pacific with all the pro-
fitable California fruit trade.
The Union Pacific today opened bi Is
for the construction of six Thousand
steel under-body refrigerator cars, and
IS likely TO ask for bids for another loI
soon.