The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-08-01
REQUEST
A REVIEW
,orR RATE CASE TO BE TAX
en- INTO THE COURTS BY
RAILROADS.
carriers Agree to a Dissolution Of
,,doe Hanford's Ruling and Thous-
ands of Dollars Of Rate Difference
Will Be Returned to Shippers-ln-
junction Is Not Asked.

junction Is Not Asked.
Seattle. July 25.-The railroads serv-
mo the state of Washington will carry
.bo decision rendered on July 10 by
tho interstate commerce commission,
in the so-called rate cases, to the high
or courts. This announcement was
made simultaneously yesterday by l..
& Gilman, representing the Great
Northern railway, and by C. w. Bum,
Of St. Paul, chief counsel for the
Northern Pacific. Mr.. 3unn's an
nouncement was made through the Of
flee of Henry Blakley, of Tacoma, gen.
eral Western representative of the
Northern Pacific railway.
The railroads will not ask for an in
junction preventing the decision of the
interstate commerce commission from
going into effect. On the other hand,
the courts will be asked to order a
review of the litigation before the
interstate commerce commission, bas-
ing their contention on the grounds
that the rates promulgated by the COM
mission are unreasonably low.
Meanwhile, on August Is, the date
set by the interstate commerce COM
mission, the new rates will become
operative, and the rate question, which
has been stubbornly contested since
November 1, 1907 will be settled so
far as the lumbermen are concerned.
Bonds Will Be Released.
Under the terms of the arrangements
made by the railroads, the Injunction
granted by Judge c. H. Hanford on
November 1, preventing the railroads
from collecting the advanced rate, will
be allowed to be dissolved, and the
thousands of dollars tied up in the
courts will be returned to the lumber
and single shippers all over the
Northwest, after a small amount of
rate differences on shipments beyond
line from Pembina, N. D., to Port
Arthur, Texas, have been paid to the
railroads. This money, aggregating
approximately 100000, will be re-
turned to the shippers, who, under
bonds, have been compelled to guar
antee rate differences pending the de-
cision of the case.
L. C. Gilman, attorney for the Great
Northern railway, yesterday sent a let
ter to c. F. White, chairman of the
lumbermen's freight rate committee,
the body that has been handling the
litigation for the Pacific Coast Lumber
Manufacturers Association and the
Single Mills Bureau, which says:
This company and other companies
interested in the lumber rate suits
have reached a conclusion as to the
course they will adopt with reference
thereto, and in order that manufactur
ers and shippers of lumber may be
fully advised, I deem it proper to COM
municate the conclusion reached at
once, so that all lumbermen may shape
their business accordingly. The con-
cluslon is, in substance, as follows:
Roads to Temporarily Submit.
The rates fixed by the interstate
commerce commission will be put into
effect by the railways interested as
soon as possible. Not because the rail-
ways think they are just, but because
they have determined to submit for
the time being to the commissions or
der. No application for temporary
injunction against the order will be
made. The railways, however, will
orlng suit to review the commissions
order and ask the court to determine
on final hearing that the rates fixed
by the commission are unreasonably
low. This determination, however,
cannot be reached until the litigation
is concluded, and pending the dtiga-
uon the only legal rate will be that
liked by the commission.
If this proposed suit should be final
~ determined in favor of the railways,
mat determination will not be retro
dctlVe, but will operate only from the
uate OF final decree. The railways
lhlnk best that the lumbermen should
De relieved of all uncertainty as to the
rates that they will be required to pay
ana that the course above outlined will
De best for all parties. Settlement for
past business moving since November
l. 1907, under Judge Hanford's order,
VIII be made on the basis of the rates
iAed by the commission, and upon
sucn settlements being made the sure
.ies on the bonds given in the suit be-
lore Judge Hanford will be released.
ihese settlements cannot be made
untl new tariffs are published In ac-
Ioroance with the commissions order.
Tours very truly,
81. c. GILMAN, Attorney.
Mr. White also received a letter
from the Northern Pacific railway sent
a the instance of c. w. Bum. Of st.
ldul' This letter gives substantially
ne same information as that written
oy Mr.. Gilman.
lumbermen Satisfied.
Lumbermen generally are well salts