The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-06-27
LUMBER
DECISION
WASHINGTON CASES FINALLY
SETTLED BY INTERSTATE
COMMISSION.
Old Freight Rate to Missouri River
Points Ordered Restored-Through
Tariff Stands-Commission Holds IN
Favor Of Lines on Shipments East
Of Colorado.

Of Colorado.
Washington, June 20.-The lumber
men Of the Pacific Northwest have
scored substantial victory in their
fight against increased railroad rates
on lumber. This broad statement is
subject to some qualification, for the
majority decision Of the interstate COM
merce commission, handed down yes
terday, while generally favorable to
shippers, is not wholly adverse to the
railroads side of the controversy. The
fact which stands out above all others
is that the higher rate established last
fall from North Pacific coast territory
to Missouri river points is declared I'M
reasonable and the old rate is ordered
restored.
The railroads win partial victory
on the rates from the coast to points
east of the Missouri, and the lumber
men are wholly defeated in their fight
against the higher rate put in force
between Portland and San Francisco.
The commission also holds in favor
of the railroads that satisfactory
through rate. already exists between
Washington points and Colorado COM
mon points and destinations east
thereof.
In every case Chairman Knapp and
Commissioner Harlan differ with the
0f hn mic
Official Statement.
The following statement of all the
cases decided is official:
"The interstate commerce commits
sion today, in reports by Commission
ers Clements, Prouty, Cockrell and
Clark, rendered it's decisions in group
of important cases involving the rates
on lumber, shingles and other forest
products from points in Washington,
Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British
Columbia to Eastern and Southern
markets. and from points in the Will
lamette valley to San Francisco, Cal.
I'm the cases entitled Oregon and
Washington Lumber Manufacturers
Company ct al, No. 1927; Pacific
Coast Lumber Manufacturers Associa-
ton ct al. VS.. Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company ct al, No. 1929; South
west Washington Lumber Manufacture
ers' Association ct al. VS.. Northern Pa
cific Railroad Company ct al, No.
1929; Southwest Washington Lumber
Manufacturers Association VS.. North
ern Pacific Railroad Company ct al,
No. 1885, the reasonableness Of gen.
eral advance in the lumber rates,
amounting in many cases to 20 or Is
per cent, from North Pacific coast ter
ritory to practically all points east
thereof, which became effective in No
vember, 1907, was challenged.
Geographic Decision.
I'm reports by Commissioners Clark
and Clements the commission decided
that the advanced rates applying to all
points on and west of a line drawn
from Pembina, N. D., through Grand
Forks, N. D.; Moorhead and Brecken-
ridge, Mimi; Sioux City and Council
Bluffs, Iowa; st. Joseph and Kansas
City, Mo-, and thence to Port Arthur,
Texas, along the Kansas City Southern
railway, including also all points east
of that line which now take the same
rates as any point located on said line,
between and including Sioux City,
the lower rates which were in effect
Iowa, and Kansas City, Mo-. were un-
reasonable, and by its orders restores
on and prior to October 81, 1907. !,
"A somewhat different conclusion is
reached with respect to the territory
lying east of the Missouri river. A
part Of the increase made by the car
riers to the more distant markets ly-
ing east of the Missouri river is per-
mitted to stand. The maximum in
crease authorized to eastern territory,
however, is 5 cents per 100 pounds
over the old rates, and this maximum
is not authorized in it's entirety, ex-
cept to Duluth, Minneapolis, st. Paul
and Minnesota Transfer and to points
on and east of the Mississippi river, so
that to points to which the maximum
increase is allowed approximately so
per cent of the increase made by the
carriers is condemned, resulting in
reduction of about cents DER 100
pounds in the rates now in effect.
DifferentiaI Rates.
I'm an opinion by Commissioner
Cockrell in case No. 1348, entitled Pot
latch Lumber COmnanv Of al ~.
Northern Pacific Railway Company ct
al, differential rates on lumber from
what are termed Spokane rate group
points, Montana-Oregon rate group
points and Hood River, Ellensburg and
Leavenworth districts, which lie in the
territory east Of the Cascade noun
tains, embracing portion of the
states OF Washington and Oregon and
the entire state of idaho, to eastern
territory are established.
The decision is that rates from the
vi II