Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-08
FREIGHT RATE DISCUSSION
Representative Of Nebraska Roads kest
With the State Commission.
DO NOT LIKE IDEA OF DISTANCE thrift
AlsO object 60 Local Agents Making
Reports 60 the Commission, but
want Them to Come
From Higher Omeers.
DO NOT LIKE IDEA OF DISTANCE TARIFF
lion q So Correspondent.l


LINCOLN, May 7.--(SpeciaLl The State
Railway commission began the session this
morning which IL to terminate with the
adoption OF rate schedules for every rail
road IN Nebraska. Besides the commission
and employees there was present the largest
array Of railroad talent ever assembled in
Lincoln, except special legislative oc-
casions. The discussion at all times was
informal and wss more Of the nature OF
an experience meeting or an educational
stunt No definite action was taken by
the commission inasmuch as Member Clarke
was absent and nothing will be done
toward making rates until his return to
the city. Among the railroad men who
we're here were the following:
Burlington-L. w. Wakeley, general pas
senger agent; J. e. Kelby and c. e. Spens.
solicitor; Gerrit Fort. assistant general pas
senBer agent J. A. Munroe, freight trafic
manager; J. Lowe, A. w. scribner, r. J.
Northwestern-Ben 7. White. general at
torney; 8; F. Miller and Bob McGinnis.
Knight, J. o. Phiiiippi and b. p. Maggoner.
Great Northern-A G. Macguire.
g, Joe g. Grand Islands. f. stohr.
Rock Island-H H Embry, John TIT and
Superintendent Brown OF Fairbury.
Rotary Of tue Grain exchange at Omaha;
>; -. guild, secretary Omaha Commercial
eiNoi secretary Whitten OF the Lincoln
Comm srcial club and Speaker Nettleton,
who came In for few moments.
Discuss Report 10 Commission.
The morning session was devoted ex-
clusiveiy to the railroad men and the aft
ernoon session to the express companies
representatives. The entire railroad dis
cussion hinged on .he report which the
commission has requested the station
agents OF all the roads to make each week
The railroad men seemed to be a unit In
obiecting to the station agents reporting
direct to the commission. They held that
the auditor and the general superintendent
should sign all such reports Discussing
the proposition OF reporting through agents
the line charges in the state in carload
lots and smaller quantities, the railroad
men said this would be an impossibility,
because the local agents did not have this
information, but that on through ship
ments the rate man employed by the COM
mission would be able to figure out this
information for all shipments to any point
In the state Regarding the number of
cars on hand TO be reported by the local
agents or the train dispatchers, the rail-
road men wanted this information to come
through the general superintendent. On
general principles they objected to that
section Of the requested weekly report
ploye of the company to sign reports to
be filed with the commission.
Chairman Winnett asked about the
practlcabilty OF making a fiat mileage
rate on freight and was answered by Mr.
Munroe. This is what the Commercial
club OF Lincoln has been discussing for
some time. because II alleges the rail
roads discriminate against Lincoln In
favor of Omaha because Of the Missouri
river case rate. Mr.. Munroe declared that
while the rate into Lincoln was cents
more than the rate into Omaha on a Ger.
tain class of freight Lincoln and all other
tobbing towns was given rate out based
on the nitrate, and thus lincoln and all
other jobbing towns in the state were able
tCl compete with Omaha in sending out
goods. IL gives Grand Island, hastings
and other towns, he said an equal chance
TO sell goods west of those places that
Omaha has.
In discussing rates in general Mr. Mum
roe said 1t was the object Of a railroad
company to build up the states through
which it ran it's line and frequently GER
tain rates were given which, though build
ing up certain sections, did not inJure
any other section. A rate made strictly
on mileage would in many instances do
great harm and would not materially hen
eht any other section. All of the rail-
road men seemed TO be OF the game onin-
Ion During the discussion only a few
OF the railroad representatives did any
talking.
First Formal Complaint.
The first formal complaint filed with tho
railway commission Is from the Arm ~
Bradstreet & Clemens of Grand Island
against the Union Pacific. Complainant
BUY and sell horses and allege that the
Union Pacific declines to furnish shippinr
or unloading facilities at the railroad stock
yards, which are located about two blocks
distant from the sale stable Of the 60
plaindnts and that the railroad connanv
furnishes such accommodations only at the
yards at the Union Stock Yards oomnanv
owned by an Independent corporation situ.
eted about three miles from the place OF
business OF the complainants; that the rail.
road company declines to furnish facilities
for loading and unloading at its own yards