Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-04-29
TWO-CENT RATE.

Saturday evening made public its decis-
ion in the passenger-rate matter, an
nounciDg that on the 10 principal roads
operating through the State a fiat two
cent passenger rate would be effective,
beginning July /. The order makes an
exception as to certain small branch
lines of the Southern Railway, on which
rate of q cents maximum may be
charged. A three cent schedule is pro-
mulgated as to certaid roads, and rate
Of 8! cents is prescribed for another class
of roads.
1t is generally believed that the big
roads will appeal TO the Court of APP
peals.
Following are the railroads which are
grouped into class A by the commission,
and which are TO place on sale passenger
tickets at The maximum rate of two cents
a mile, but no ticket is to be sold for a
less sum than ten cents: The Norfolk and
Western, the Chesapeake and Ohio, the
Atlantic Coast Line, the SeabOard Air
Line, the Southern, the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac, the Wash
ington Southern, the New York, Phila-
delphia and Norfolk, the Virginia and
southwestern and the Louisville and
Nashville.
The following roads are allowed q
maximum rate of p cents a mile; Nor
folk division of the Southern Railway,
from Norfolk 10 Danville, 2Of miles;
Franklin branch, from Franklin juno
lion to Rocky Mount, 81 miles; Glare
mont branch, from James River juno
ton to Claremont, 80 miles.
The following roads are in class d,
and are allowed to charge a maximum
fare of cents a mile; The Chesapeake
Western, the Cumberland Valley and
Marinsburg, the Danville and Western,
the Indian Creek and Pound River, the
No ZION and Rye Valley, the Nelson and
Albemarle, The YsiSy Railway, the
Virginia Carolina Railway, the Win
chester and Potomac, the Winchester
and Strasburg and the Norfolk aud
Southern.
The commission prescribes a three
and a half cent fare, maximum, for the
following roads, The Big Sandy and
Cumberland, the Black Mountain Rail-
way, the Interstate Railway, the Lake
Creek and Lake Erie, the Mount Airy
and Eastern, the New River, Holston
and Western, the Potomac, Fredericks.
burg and Piedmont, the Surry, Sussex
and Southampton, The Tidewater and
Western, the Virginia Anthracite Coal
aud Iron Railway, the Virginia and
Kentucky and the Wise Terminal Com
psny.
Ia the freight rate cases the commits
sion holds that the railroads should OPP
crate under n uniform classification as TO
an interstate traffic, and places them
under what is known as Virginia CLASH
ication No. /.
From the opinion handed down it
would seem that the commission is not
disposed to make indiscriminate reduc-
tons in freight rates for the mere pun
pose OfreductioD, but 10 produce uniform
ity as far as possible, and to wipe out
determinations, inconsistencies and con-
ditiOns which are unfriendly or hostile
to Virginia trade. 10 short for the time
being at least, the commission thinks
that the matter of freight facilities is
superior in importance 10 the matter Of
freight rates.
The great bulk of the reduction in
revenue is in passenger rates, and the
intimatiOn contained in the opinion is
that the passenger rates are best able to
bear this. Moreover, it is thought that a
reduction in passenger rates, affects the
general public moie than a reduction
10 freight rates, and that the masses
will profit more by the 6rst mentioned
cut in prices.