The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-31
RATE ON IRON WILL
REMAIN UNCHANGED
Southern Holds Up Increase for
Thirty-one Days
FINLEY MAKES THE RULING
It Is Believed That Other Roads wiz
Fall Into Line and HOLD Back
the Increase Until
March 8.
FINLEY MAKES THE RULING

Tho Southern railway yesterday NORM.
ing announced that 1t would not put the
new rate on pig iron and pipe IN effect
tomorrow, 1t has announced further that
It would put tho ratio into effect on
March g.
While this IS not as much az tho iron
men desired and asked for, they state
that 1t Is far better than having the
rate go into effect tomorrow, and TINT
they hope tho railroads Will be able 10
move all the iron and pipe tho yards
now.
1t Is estimated that thnro is at Ieasti
10000 tons OF pig iron and pipe on the
yards OF tho various companies In Bir-
mingham waiting for shipment. and were
the new rates To go into effect tomorrow
1t would mean an additional cost to the
purchaser of that iron of 81, goo, or %
cents per ton.
1t IL probable that the other railroads
will meet the announcement of tho South
ern. IL came ~ rather a. surprise to a
great many. A. number OF people knew,
however that President Finley of tho
Southern had a conference here RECENTLY
with the heads of the iron producing
companies and that he interested himself
In tho pate matter.
Stands BY the Increase.
AtSthe recent nesting of the Southern
Iron committee at Palm Reach the conf
mittee and the railroads decided To stand
by the increase they had announced TO
take effect February l. The iron COM
panies made "a strong fight at the time,
but the railroads were unanimous in their
action.
Some OF the railroad men, however, an
tloipated that the Southern would like
to postpone the enforcement of the new
rate, and the iron companies brought all
tho pressure Tn bear that they could to
have II postponed sixty or ninety days.
As It Is the new rate VIII not go into
effect for thirty-one days
The Southern traffic officials have nm
nouced that they would make every eff
fort to move the iron now ON the mar
lsets, furnishing sufficient cars and iao-
tive power, When the announcement of
the 6outhern's action becomes known IL
Is probable the othar reads will meet
1t and also agree to supply equipment TO
meVe tha iron on the yards.
May Require Commission RuIlng,-
The announcement yesterday by tho
Southern railway that it would postpone
putting the pig iron rate into effect until
March 3 has raised an interesting aues4
ton as TO what ruling the Interstate
commences commission will place on that
matter,
The Southern, with other railroads,
have announced an inefeasazaf % cents
per ton, effective February /, Yesterday
the Southern announced that 1t would
not put that rate into effect for thirty-ons
days, The question that arises is wheth-
err this would not be d violation OF the
Hepburn rate law,
AS is wen known this law specifies that
no rate can be changed without filing due
notice thirty days in advance with the
interstate commerce commission, Thsre IS
an old rate which is In effect now, and
it is claimed by some that this rate will
continue to hold good until the other
goes into effect, and that the road does
not have to give thirty days notice that
It will not change this rate as announced.
On the other hand 1t Ii argued that the
announcement that a new rate would 90
into effect tomorrow, the filing of that
rate with the Interstate commerce COM
mission and the publishing OF the tariffs
makes the new rate effective ON the day
originally set, February l. II is argued
that the announcement of tho withdrawal
Of the old rate has been made and that
the old rate ceases to be effective after
tomorrow,