Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-01
REQUESTS 0F RAILWAY
CONFERENCE WITH THE INTER
STATES COMMERCE. COMMISSION.

Representatives of the most important
railroad systems of ths~ country are now in
conference with the interstate commerce
commission as to the Interpretation of the
new rate law and the action that the rail-
roads will be forced to take under the
same. The conference opened yesterday
and will be continued today at the rooms
of the commission At It's close yesterday
Chairman Knapp issued short statement.
but there has not yet been any formal
action taken and will not be until the
members of the commission have had a
chance to confer. The principal points
raised by the railroads were over the fling
of tariffs and the posting of them in sta
lions as required by law. They also were
anxious about the provision that notice of
any contemplated change in rates must be
given thirty days in advance They said
that some OF the requirements OF the law
were impracticable. and asked that the
commission should construe its instructions
on liberal basis
Chairman Knapp and Commissioners
Clements and Cockreli were in attendance
on the conference. at which the railroads
were represented by sixty-four of the most
important freight and passenger traffic Off
| Gals of the lines interested. While the con-
| ference was informal. extended statements
were made to the commission by several
| of the railroad officials the principal speak
| ers being ]. c. Stubs of the Southern Pa
| cific w B. Biddle of the Chicago and
| Rock Island j. NJ. Culp of the Southern
railway and Darius Miller of the Chicago.
| Burlington and Quincy
The conference was held behind closed
| doors. but at It's close Chairman Knapp
| made a brief statement of its nature. He
! said that at the outset the railroad officials
made clear their intention to comply with
| the new law without unnecessary bicker-
/ ing They desired, however, to arrive at
some understanding with the interstate
| commerce commission as to the best way
| to meet the requirements of the law and
! of the commission. 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
Three General Requests.
/ In brief. the railroad officials 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 tar
| if schedules under the law. In this con-
nection they asked also, that the book con-
| tanning the rates might be left with each
| station agent, instead of being posted at
| the station.
| Secend-That the requirements of a notice
| of thirty days in change of a rate or rates
| be eliminated. particularly as to import and
! export traffic. 1t was pointed out that
| often these rates had to be changed within
a rev hours to meet the exigencieS of ocean
| transportation and that 1t practically would
| be impossible to anticipate these changes
| even by one day, not to mention thirty
| days
Third-That the railroads be relieved from
the publica ton of terminal rates at points
of destination and allowed to publish them
only at the point where the charges origi-
! nate This would make difference In
the rates themselves, but would be mat
ter of convenience to the roads.
The passenger traffic officials raauest cd
the commission not to insist upon the fill
ing of new rates at this time as their rates,
under the new law would be precisely the
same. for a time at least they are now
and the present rates on fileNwith the
commission.
The conference will be continued for a
short time, In order to conclude some points
yet under discussion
No decision was announced by the COM
mission, but at the close of the conference
the members will take Up the questions pre-
scented and announce their determination in
a few days.