The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-29
SECRET RATES ON
 MANY RAILROADS Trial of Standard Oil Case Brings Out More Facts LOW RATE FOR FEW ROADS Fact That Secret Rates Existed On Several Roads Will Have Bearing
 Upon Collecting Big Fine
 From the Standard.
LOW RATE FOR FEW ROADS

1 Washington, January 2S.-That secret rates were adopted by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad and bv otb,r railroads In Illinois was developed to- oay In the trial of the case of the gov ernment against the Standard Oil com pany MT. Durant. deputy commission CT of corporations, continuing his test;- mony, said that in conversation with MT. Dodge, one of the vice president 2 or the Chicago and Eastern Illinois he had asked MT. Dodge whether if wa. a habit of the Illinois railroads to make secret rates wholly in the state of Illi- noise. MT. Dodge had replied that secret rates were made at times, not particularly with the intention of con- cealing the rates from shippers. but to Keep them secret from other roads MT Durand submitted joint tariffs of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois with the Cleveland. Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis railroad, filed with the inter- state commerce commission, showing rate of 6 F cents per hundred pounds on oil from Dalton, H., to East St. Louis. Out of this rate the Chicago Terminal company was to absorb not to exceed $S car switching charge on shipments from Whiting, Ind. This, it was pointed out, was the equivalent of the F cent rate given by the Chicago and Alton to the Standard from Chi cago to East St. Louis. The rate of 6h cents was filed with the interstate com merce commission and therefore was A. public rate. The rate of cents ner hundred pounds on oil from Chicago to East St. Louis alleged to have been given to the Standard by the Chicago and Alton was not filled with the in terstate commerce commission as it was regarded purely as an intrastate rate. which was not necessary as legal ob- ligation for the railroad to file with the commission.
 In the course of brief cross-examina- ton or Mr. Durand respecting the G. cent rate given by the Chicago and Eastern Illionis, MT. Rosenthal, counsel for the Standard developed some im- portant points respecting this rate. After testifying that the 61s-cent rate was filed with the commission, Mr. Durand was asked by MT. Rosenthal:
 'So that 6h-cent rate prevailed from OCtoper 70, lSSf 10 OctODer Il, lS95?
 That Is right
 MT. Rosenthal: "Then it is true. is it not, that from October 26 1894 to October Il, 1895, the rate between the points that 1 have been speaking of, namely. Whit ing, Ind, and East St. Louis, Ill.,, over the Chicago and Eastern Illinois road was 61s cents per 100 pounds on petroleum and from October II, 1895 to January 8, 1908, the rate on petroleum per 100 pounds between Whiting, Ind. and East St. Louis, H.. was 6i4 cents?"
 MT. Durand: That is not strictly correct; no. It is true that during all that period of time the rate filed with the interstate commerce commission was as your question states, namely during 1894 and 1895, between the dates specified, 61a cents, and from October H. q believe the date is), 1895, to January 1906 6A cents. These were the rates filed with the commission during that period of time"
 This testimony of MT. Durand. who conducted the petroleum investigation himself, is regarded as important, in view of the fact that in the trial of the Standard Oil company case at Chicago, in which fine of s29, ,240,OO0 was assessed against the Standard Oil company of Indiana, it was held that the lawful rate between Whiting, Ind, and East St. Louis, H., was IS cents per 100 pounds.