The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-12-10
SHIPPERS AFTER
UNION PACIFIC
Railroads Accused Of Rate Dis
elimination.
WHOLESALE HOUSES FORCED OFT
OF BUSINESS.
Claims Made That Idaho Enjoys Better
Rates Than Utah. Inter. State In
for Some Responsibility.

Rates Than Utah. Interstate IL
for Some Responsibility.
Interest in the manner in which
shippers Of the intermountain country
have been mulcted by the railroads OF
their profits, and IN many cases OF
their entire business, continues to
grow, and business men all over the
city are ready and willing to give out
information concerning what they
term the iniquitous manner in which
the rates on freight are fixed by the
railroads leading to this city.
One prominent business man said
Friday that there appeared to be no
justice or method IN the Arrangement
OF freight traffic rates to Utah, except
the evident intention of the roads to
collect all that they possibly could
without regard to what should be the
legitimate amount compared with the
rates charged to other cities.
las a matter Of fact" he said, dur
Ing the past eight years four large
wholesale grocery concerns have been
compelled to move away from the city
or go out of business, simply because
| they could not compete with the ship
pers OF other states, who were able to
| have goods shipped to them and to sell
| them throughout the state at less
| rate than the wholesalers here. 1t is
also fact that the wholesale dealers
or Utah can not compete with the deal
| ers OF other states, Idaho for example.
because of the higher freight rates
| charged shippers here. The freight
rates appear to be made by j. c.
Stubbs of Chicago, who seems to be
unable to see any other points than
Chicago, San Francisco and Omaha in
the middle.
All Referred to Stubs,
in this connection it is interesting
to notice the attitude of the interstate
commerce commission towards Mr..
Stubbs in the matter of complaints
sent to them by shippers from this
city. | know of a case where one of
the large concerns Of this city was
claiming refund for an overcharge on
an assignment of goods received by
freight and the whole correspondence
which had been carried on between the
parties was forwarded to the interstate
commerce commission. The cores
pondence covered the whole case, in
Guiding the copies of the letters which
has passed between the officers of the
railroad company and the shippers.
Imagine the surprise of the shippers
when they were informed that the en-
tire correspondence had been referred
to Mr.. Stubs for a decision. The re-
suit was what might have been expect
ed. Inc case is not yet settled and
there does not appear to be any indica-
ton that it will be.
1T would be interesting to know
why it should be necessary to refer
correspondence covering a difference
in charges to Mr.. Stubs for an opin-
ion when the matter is evidently per-
fectly clear, as was shown by the ex-
press statement of some of the rail-
road officials and one letter. especially, |
written by Mr.. Stubs himself, in |
which he gives the lie direct to the
letter OF the interstate commerce COM
mission. Isn't 1t queer situation
when the maker of railroad freight |
rates is permitted to take such a DO
sltlon before a government commerce
commission expressly to deal with the |
matters with which he is connected
There appears to be no end to the |
cases of freight rates so arranged that |
they constitute the larger part of the
cost of articles shipped into this city. |
A number of invoices of goods were
shown by one shipper recently, where
the freight charges amounted to more
than the cost of the goods themselves.
Rate On Paper Boxes.
On such simple thing as paper
boxes case came to light recently in
which the freight charges were actual
~ one-half of the value of the boxes.
AS this is especially fragrant, it may
De interesting. 1t was reported by a
shlpper here, who requires large GUAM
ties OF these boxes, and yet he is shown
no mercy IN the matter of freight rate
charges, but may go out of business if |
he is unable to make profit enough on
his goods to pay this exorbitant charge
for obtaining the boxes in which to
pack the goods.
The case was represented by
shipment Of paper boxes from Boston
to Salt Lake City. The total weight of
the shipment was 1895 pounds, on
which the rate for freight was $9,42
per hundred pounds, thus amounting
to $4,000. The same goods forwarded
by express would have cost at the rate
OF $3.50 per hundred pounds, making
total of S159.75. This made saving of
nearly ten dollars when the goods
were shipped by express, curious sit
uation.
THE explanation OF this is the curl
GUS manner in which the classification
is made. In this particular shipment,
the goods were classed as first-class
from Boston to the Mississippi river,
but after crossing the river they were
rated as three times frst-class and
rated at charge Of $7S5 per one hun
1red pounds, as against the charge
u $1.64 per one hundred pounds for
he distance between Boston and the
Mississippi river, which was more
han half the entire distance between
Boston and Salt Lake City.
"Conceding to the railroad, however,
he right to charge a higher rate for
he last half OF the distance because
II the sleeper grades and on account
)f the less thiok1v cotflod oo,,ptrv