The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-08-03
Railroads Do Not Want to Observa
Some Technicalitiee in Rate Law.
SUBMIT THREE PROJECTIONS
Important Gathering of Railroad Off.
Gals and Interstate Commercc Gem.
mission In Wsshirgton-No De.
cision Made Regarding Requests.

washington, Aug. IAN important
informal conference between the in
ters,ate commerce commission and
representatives of the Western Trunk
Line association, the traffic officials
OF various southern and southeastern
railroads, took place Tuesday in the
hearing room of the commission. 1t
related to the construction to be plac-
ed by the commission on the recently
enacted railroad rate law. While no
conclusions were reached, both the
railroad men and the commissioners
regard the conference as profitable.
because IL has brought them into
touch as to the various phases of the
law, and will enable each the better
to understand the position of the
other.
Chairman Knapp and Commission
ers Clements and Cockrell were in
attendance on the conference. while
the railroads were represented by
sixty-four of the most important
freight and passenger traffic officials
OF the lines interested. While the
conference was informal, extended
statements were made to the commits.
sion by several of the railroad officials.
the principal speakers being ]. C.
Stubs, of the Southern Pacific; w.
B. Biddle, of the Chicago & Rock
Island; j. M. Culp, of the Southern
railway, and Darius Miller, of the Chi.
cago, Burlington G. Quincy.
Want to Avoid Bickerlnq.
The conference was held behind
closed door, but at its conclusion,
Chairman Knapp made a brief state
ment of its nature. He said that at
the outsst the railroad officials made
clear their intention to comply with
the new law without unnecessary
pickering. They desired, however, to
arrive at some understanding with
the interstate commerce commission
as to the best way to meet the re-
quirements of the law and of the COM
mission. They pointed out that in
some instances technical compliance
with the law would be futile, and
they asked the commission to assist
them by placing a broad construction
on parts of the act.
In brief, the railroads made three
general requests Of the commission:
First-That a reasonable extension
of time be given them to prepare and
publish and file with the commission
their new tariff schedules under the
law. In this connection, they asked,
also, that the book containing the
rates might be left with each station
agent, instead of being posted at the
station.
Second-That the requirement Of
notice Of thirty days in a change of
a rate or rates be eliminated, par
ticularly as to import and export traf-
fic. 1t was pointed out that often
these rates had to be changed within
few hours to meet the exigencies
OF ocean transportation, and that it
particularly would be impossible to
anticipate these changes even by one
day, not to mention thirty days.
Third-That the railroads be re-
lieved from the publication Of termi-
nal rates at points Of destination, and
allowed to publish them only at the
point where the cha yes originate.
This would make no di 'erence in the
rates themselves, but would be mat.
ter Of convenience to the roads.
No decision was announced by the
commission, but at the conclusion of
the conference, the members will take
up the questions presented and an
nounce their determination in a few
days.