The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-10-03
kEN0SHA D EEPLY INTERESTED
Merchants Who Have Been Shipping
Small Packages by Express Can
Return to Freight Ship
ments Again

Il
minimum rate on package freight go.
ing over a single road from 40 to q
cents. The rate on shipments over
two or more roads will be permitted tc
stand at 40 cents until the matter can
be further investigated by the com
mission. At hearing on the matter
/ before the commission Thursday rep
resentatives of the railroad compan-
les said that an effort was now being
made to reach an agreement that
would be satisfactory to the shippers,
the railroad companies and the rail-
road commissions of the different
states. In view of the pending nego-
| tiations the railroad men asked if a
rate of rs cents on shipments over a
single road and 40 cents on shipments
over two or more roads would be sat
isfactory to the shippers until the
matter was finally adjusted. The
representatives. of the shippers said
they thought that it would be.
The shippers were represented by
FredW. Mckenzie, assistant secretary
of the Merchants and Manufacturers
association of Milwaukee, and Carl
Kurtemacker and A. Hirscheimer,
representing the Manufacturers and
Jobbers' union of La Crosse.
1t was pointed out during the argu-
ment to the commission that the new
ruling would be hardship on Wis
consin shippers for various reasons.
In the first place, it was held that it
results in economic waste in that
many empty packages which we're
formerly returned 10 original ship
pers under the minimum charge of Is
cents, would no longer be returned,
because the freight charges would
cost more than the cost of new pack
ages.
The main argument, however,
against the new ruling, was that it
works gross discrimination against
Wisconsin shippers. In Illinois, Min
nesota, Delaware and Nebraska the
railroads are prevented by statute and
by order of the raiload commission
from increasing the minimum charge
more than Is cents, with some modifi-
cations in more of the states. This
places Wisconsin at a great disad-
vantage.
The railroad representatives main
tanned that the minimum charge of 40
cents was entirely reasonable and
just in that it cost the railroad COM
pany more to handle small packages
than they receive for them in freight.
They also pointed out that the chief
hardships to them In handling small
shipments was at transfer points
where they had to pay transfer
charges, some times leaving them at
a net loss on the shipment.
The railroad men, however, admit
ted that they could make no defence
to the argument that Wisconsin ship
pers were Disseminated against under
the new ruling and stated they would
be willing to leave the matter in the
hands of the commission. They sug-
gested to the commission, however. in
protecting Wisconsin shippers by re-
ducing the minimum charge from
forty cents to twenty-five cents, that
they should make provision in such
other order for the railroads to collect
more on shipments which go over two
or more lines, that joint shipments
travelling over more than one line of
road have minimum charge of forty
cents.
Such an order would give Wiscon-
sin people the twenty-five cent mini
mum charge On all local shipments
with minimum charge Of forty cents
on all shipments going over more than
one line in the state. It was pointed
out that such joint shipments bear
such small proportion to the total
amount of intra state shipments that
such a provision would affect the
shippers to very slight extent and
would relieve the railroads from pay
ing out cash at transfer points.
This suggestion appeared satisfact-
DRY to the complainant In the case and
it is expected that within few days
an order will be issued by the
commission along these lines, restor-
ing the old twenty-five cents mini
mum charge. 1t is expected, however,
that the commission will make such
an order tentative, pending future
conference, at which time the PROPOSE
ton will be discussed by establishing
uniform classification for all com
plants in this western territory,
somewhat similar to the official CLASH
fication. Such an order will give
Wisconsin shippers the relief which
they have been demanding since the
new ruling went into effect and it is
expected the railroad companies will
put such an order into effect just as
soon as possible after it is issued.
The railroad representatives were
William Ellis of the Milwaukee road,
H. G. Cheney of the North Western,
and Mr.. Clark of the Wisconsin Cen
trail.
The action of the commission is
especially interesting to KenosltA
shippers as this city was hard hit