Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-08-15
Madison Aug. s,

Madison Aug. s.
A cut of 20 to % per cent frcm the
freight rates on livestock in Wiscon-
sin was ordered by the state railroad
rate commission in a decision an
nounced yesterday. The recently re
signed commissioner, John Barnes,
acted on this matter and signed the
decision, but it was not announced to
the public until yesterday.
Rates are reduced from almost
every point in the state to Milwaukee,
and the largest reductions are from
places in the western and northwest
ern parts OF the state. The commiss-
Ion found that rates from places near
milwaukee and in the southern part
OF the state We're not particularly ex-
cessive or discriminatory
The action of the commission was
primarily based upon "a formal COM
plant flied more than a year ago by
Walter l.. Houser of Mondovi, thea
secretary of state, who also field the
the first formal complaint charging
excessive passenger rates. However,
before the commission had far advanc-
ed in the investigation under this
proceeding, it was deemed best to
not limit the investigation to the
rates involved in the Houser COM
plant. but take in the general sub
Ject of livestock rates all over the
state.
Rank discrimination was found by
the commission in the rates charged
wisconsin shippers as compared with
the rates charged the shippers of
livestock In Iowa and Illinois, and al
though the defendant railroad com
panies being the Omaha, Northwest
ern, Milwaukee and Wisconsin Cent
RAJ, made representations to the
effect that conditions were vastly diff
erent in Wisconsin from what they
were in Illinois and Iowa, and that
the cost of the serve was much
greater in Wisconsin and this was
warrant for the apparent higher rates,
the commission gave eacn representa-
ton full hearing and examination, and
finally concluded tina" different prin-
clpies" were adopted by the railroad
rate-makers in fixing and determin-
ing the charges to be assessed
again Wisconsin livestock than the
principles used to calculate the
charges on shipments in Iowa ana
illinois. Therefore the final conclu-
sion of the commission, after a dis
cussion making this decision one of
the largest ever issued by the Wiscon-
sin commission, is that the rates
must be greatly reduced
The action of the commission was
not only based upon the discrinina-
ton found to exist against Wisconsin
in comparison with Iowa and Illinois,
but was based more securely upon
the actual cost of the service render
ed, upon the value of the properties
invested, and making the calculation
with every doubt resolved in favor of
the corporations and using the liberal
interest rate of ten percent.
The commission explains that it
deemed it necessary to make a gener-
al investigation Oh the rates in Wis
consin and not CONNIE itself to the
rates specifically complained of by
Mr.. Houser-fron Mondovi to Milwau-
kee-so that no mal-adjustment OF
rates might result Extensive tables
are set forth in the decision, showing
uniformly higher rates in Wisconsin
than * .ther illinois or Iowa for the
.sts1' of shipments and same
e,.nces. These excuses of rates
or Wisconsin over those in Illinois
and Iowa were larger as the distances
I from Milwaukee were greater. In
some cases, usually from places near
Milwaukee, the Wisconsin rates were
slightly lower tnan those in the other
two states compared. Discussing
these tables the commission says:
while the tables explain them
selves a few illustrations OF what
they show may be given. From FL
roy to Mcmillan there are II sta
tons. The average rate on horses
from these stations to Milwaukee is
1865 cents per 100 pounds. The
average rate for Wisconsin for this
group is thus a great deal higher than
those for substantially like groups in
the other states. A similar situation
is found for cattle, hogs and sheep
for this group. What has been found
TO be true for the group in question
is also true for every group In the
table. The comparisons for this road
(the Omaha include the rates for
los stations and are fairly represen.
tative of the situation.
The table for the Northwestern
road is still more comprehensive. 1t
includes comparisons for 343 sta
tons in Wisconsin. the illinois and
Iowa rates for short distances are
\ often higher than TIC Wisconsin
rates. The effect of this is
clearly shown in the first group In
the table. where for an average dis
tance Of q miles Wisconsin has the