The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-11
TRANSPORTATION SUITS.

The city Of Spokane has filed with
the Interstate Commerce Commission n
protest against the discriminating rates
of the Northern Pacific and the Great
Northern, in which Spokane is at
disadvantage as compared with Seattle.
The railroads mentioned have freight
schedule which calls for a greater
charge for transportation on freights
to Spokane than to Seattle, although
the haul to Seattle is very much longer
from the East than the haul TO Spo-
kane. The principle underlying the
ought not to be allowed to charge an
excess sum for a short haul over that
for long haul, in interstate commerce,
and it is held that this principle is
carried in the new rate law. 1t is
therefore claimed by Spokane that she
20 Seattle, but heretofore has not been
able TO secure even as low transpor.
tation rate at the Seattle rate.
Denver, also, has filed like protest
with the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion against the discrimination that
city claims to be laboring under in rail
road transportation, as compared with
the rates to San Francisco. The Den
yer complaint is summarized in these
paragraphs:
1t is alleged that the defendant companies
exact rate calico and similar merchnn-
disc from Atlantic coast points to San Fran
per cwt, on carload lots. and sI.5o per cwt.
on less than carload lots, wherens to Denver
and Colorado common points they charge
S1.79 per cwt., with no reduction for carload
lots On other classes of merchandise such
as cotton shcetings. cotton duck, ctc., the
defendants charge rate OF 90 cents per
less amount than carload, while the rato
on tho samo goods to Denver and Colorado
common points is sl.79 per cwt;, irrespective
OF amount. 1t is urged that this is case
in which the shorter haul is included in
the longer, and tho charges TO Denver are
excessive, unjust and unreasonable and uls-
criminntory.
Tho complaint asks the commission to es.
tablish proper rates to Denver from Allan
tic coast points and TO order that they in no
event shall exceed the rates to the Pacific
coast points.
Another case involves the freight rates
charged by Southern roads for the shipment
OF fruit TO the Northern markets.
These suits, begun by the cities
named, are of the utmost Importance
to all Of the interior cities Of this
country. Salt Lake has been making
complaints like these for good mauy
years. 1t is understood, however, and
we believe the fact is, that Salt Lake
has obtained concessions that are high
ly valuable in this matter of transpor-
tation, and which place her in a far
better position than she formerly oc-
cupied. At the same time, the princi-
pie involved in the suits begun by Spo-
kane and Denver will undoubtedly be
useful in this city, if sustained. The
decision of these cases will also gov
ern our transportation TO Salt Lake.
The new railroad rate law is extremely
strict with respect to exacting full pub
licity as TO rates, with severe penalties
for all secret understandings, conces-
sions, rebates, allowances, or advan-
tages Of any kind, as between shippers
that use the transportation line. 1t is
emphatic in its requirement that all
charges shall be reasonable; that they
shall not discriminate rs between one
point of delivery and another, and that