The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-11
Right to Provide Upper Rerths
Is Being Questioned.
MATTER OF CHARGES.
Also Will BE Looked Into by
Commerce Commission,
The Company Denies That 1t Is
Common Carrier.

washington, u. c., Dec. lit is
now the Pullman Sleeping Car COM
pany which the government has de-
c1ded to place upon the grill.
Under an order made by the inter-
state commerce commission an inves-
tlgatlon is to be made by Commission
er Lane to determine the right of the
company to provide upper berths. and
whether the charges it imposes are
Just and reasonable
More than 100000 people are in
terested in the determination of these
questions, that being the number
which annually patronize the sleeping
cars. The matter was brought to the
attention of the commission in the
form of three complaints filed by Geo.
r. Loftus of st. Paul. The complaints
were referred to the Pullman COM
pany for answer, but that company de-
cl1ned to make any extended reply,
merely denying generally the allega-
t1ons made, and declaring that it did
not make unjust and discriminatory
charges. 1t asserted, further that it
was not amenable to the interstate
commerce laws, contending that it is
not engaged in Transporting passen-
gers, but merely in the business of
in the way of chairs, bed, and food.
Company Subject to Law.
The interstate commerce committee
takes different view. The railroad
rate law enacted during the last con-
gress specifically declared that sleep
ing car companies were interstate car
rierS, and as such amenable to all the
laws regulating interstate commerce.
After careful consideration of the con-
tentfon of the companies, the commits
sion has ruled that the Pullman COM
pany is subject to its authority, and
Instructions have been given to Mr..
Lane to begin an investigation.
Mr.. Lane will be in st. Paul on
Thursday of next week. He has been
Informed that Mr.. LOTUS will be pre-
pared with witnesses to establish the
truth of his allegations. 1t is not
known whether the Pullman company
will seek to rebut the testimony Of
fered, but it is presumed it will not
attempt to do So. because such
course might be Interpreted as an
authority of the commission. The i'm
preston prevails here that the COM
pany will seek to obtain a ruling from
the courts.
Declares Charges Are Unjust.
The allegations filed by Mr.. LOTUS
are comprehensive and intended to
cover the whole sleeping car question.
He claimed that it is unjust to charge
the same for an upper as for a lower
berth. The former is not as desirable,
and in his judgment the price should
be less. Mr.. LOTUS declared that
sive, unreasonable, unjust, and in
violation of law" He filed with the
evidence showing that a
passenger pays 81 berth for the
journey from st. Paul to Chicago, a
distance of 40 miles, and $3.50 for
the same accommodation for trip
from st. Paul to Superior, $50 miles.
In the Judgment of Mr.. LOTUS not
more than $3.50 for lower and rs
cents for an upper berth should be
charged on the journey between st.
Paul and Chicago while the st. Paul
Superior charge should not be more
than 81 for a lower and SO cents for
an upper berth.
Before passing upon this important
question an effort will be made by the
to obtain all the facts in
with the earnings of the
Pullman company. Properly to deter
mine whether the rate is reasonable
or unreasonable, the commission must
ascertain authoritatively what the
profits of the sleeping car company
amount to. The annual reports of the
Pullman company show that the gross
earnings of the company are in the
neighborhood of 25,000.000-three
times as much as they were ten years
ago-but this total includes chairs and |
food as we'll as berths.
The investigation into the charges
of the Pullman company is an indfca- |
ton of the intention of the govern |
ment to continue it's campaign against |
which are the subject OF |
charges.