The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-05
Abolished BY Railroads.

western railroads because they do pro-rate
with the railroads from Chicago to st.
Louis on oil from Whiting.
Abolished BY Railroads.
Most of the secret rates, and some of
the open determinations discovered by
the bureau were abolished by the rail
roads shortly after such discovery The
more important changes thus far noted
are as follows:
/. The secret rate of cents per barrel
from Oean to Rochester and 10 cents per
barrel from Olean to Buffalo has been
changed to an open rate OF % cents per
barrel to Rochester and q cents per bar
rel to Buffalo on shipments OF all refined
oil products. and the practice Of blind
billing of oil has been discontinued by
the Pennsylvania railroad.
.. The low tank-car rates made by the
Rutland railroad from Norwood to Bur-
lington. Rutland and Bellows Falls. VT.
have been made applicable on oil in bar
rels.
s. The cancclla ton of the secret rate
from Whiting to Grand Junction will
reduce by about three-fourths the Stand
ards advantage over competing relners
a Toledo Cleveland and vicinity on
shipments into a large part of the south.
Instead Of IA or Is cents the differential
against them IS now or cents per hun
bred pounds, while the disadvantage of
competing refiners of western Pennsyl-
vania has been correspondingly reduced.
4. The cancellation of that secret rate
from Whiting to Evansville will reduce
the Standards advantage over compel
ing refners al Toledo en- shipments into
many other parts of the south from about
ga cents to 312 cents per hundred pounds.
The advantage which the Standard has
enjoyed over competitors in Cleveland,
Pittsburg. and other independent refining
| points has been correspondingly reduced
5. The cancellation of the secret rates
from Whiting to East st. Louis and the
substitution OF the rate OF 10 cents. will
reduce the Standards advantage from II
cents to cents per hundred pounds, with
a corresponding reduction of its advan-
tage over more easterly refining points.
g. The railroads have advanced their
published rates from Whiting into north
ern Indiana and Michigan by about or
3 cents per hundred pounds. and have
put the rates practically an equality,
distance considered, with those from To-
ledo and more esaterly points.
I. The New York, New Haven and Hart
ford railroad has resumed the practice
of proratlng on oil, thereby reducing the
average freight charge to Independent re-
f1ners of western Pennsylvania and Ohio
on shipments into large part of Con-
necticut, Rhode Island and Massachu-
setts. by about cents per 100 pounds. This
will materially increase their opportunity
for competition with the Standard OIL
company In that territory. The inter-
state commerce commission recently de-
nonnced the former practice and recon-
mended q change.
8. A large number OF the secret rates
of California railroads have been pub
lished as open rates. While under the
contract system of selling fuel oil gen
orally employed in that region the con-
Germs formerly employing the secret rates
continue to benefit from them this revis-
ion of tariffs. obviously operates to the
benefit of independent shippers on future
business A number of discrepancies in
open rates on the Pacific coast have also
been adjusted.
The Good Results.
The changes above described, with
others of less Importance mean much
more than the increase of freight
charges to the Standard. They show in
striking fashion the good which has al
ready resulted from this investigation.
They put independents upon farer foot
ing and make competition possible In
territories heretofore inaccessible.
Nevertheless the widespread discrimin-