The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-12

phone and later by letter. So import ant a matter does the company consid- CT the action of the Commission that Vice President J. NJ. Dewberry, of Bir- mingham, has addressed a letter to the Commission under date of November 10. This communication is as follows:
 November 10, 1908. Railroad Commission of the State of
 Alabama. Montgomery, Ala. , Re Barge Line Rates. Gentlemen:
 We are much surprised to receive your telegram of November 9, which reads as follows;
 'sThis commission does not approve your contemplated barge rates to be- come effective the 18th. You will there for not establish them. See letter
 (slgned) "chas. Henderson,
 President" Some three weeks ago, we called uI your secretary over long distance phone, asking for a meeting of your Commission that we might file and have considered schedule of rates for our proposed barge line" Your sec retary advised that meeting Of the Commission was not necessary. and for us to file the rates and establish the line. reminding us that such rates should be materially lower than the present established rates of the Com mission. We had previously written the Commission on this subject. and In reply to our letter the President of the writes us under date Of October a. as follows:
 Yours of 21st in reference to barge lines on the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers to hand. Please make up your schedule of rates and submit them to the Commission. It will not be neces- sary to have meeting of the Commis- sion to put these into effect. They have to be filed with the Commission for ten days and approved by them. This will be attended to by me when the rates are filed.
 "I am glad that your people are ta- king steps to develop the rivers in Ala hama, and can assure you that you will receive all the protection and encour- agemeAt which the Commission can give you"
 This letter seemed to confirm the in- structions of your secretary. and we therefore, on November B. made up schedule of rates and filed them with the Commission as of the same date. the same to become effective November 13. at which time we proposed to and havn arranged to inaugurate our "barge lIne'' on both the Alabama and Tom higbee Rivers. We have engaged an additional steamboat crew and have gone to other considerable expense to inaugurate this service. We have als" advertised our proposed rates in the Mobile daily papers, and have sent out the schedule of rates to the shippers along the rivers, and we now find our selves much embarrassed in that wc are denied the privilege of establish ing these rates, which privilege we understood, had already been granted us. As you will note, our rates are about 40 per cent lower than the regu- lar tariff rates for the passenger boats, and, judging from the experience of barge lines on the Ohio River, we be- lIeye that such line will be as profis- able at 70 per cent. discount as reg uIar steamboat can be at full rates.
 We note with interest that two of our competitors have filed a protest with you against the approval of our "barge line' rates. but we do not feel that they should be allowed to stand between tLe people and better sery- fee and lower rates. which we are ready to inaugurate.
 Not wishing to antagonize the Com mission. nor to subject ourselves and our customers to the penalties of the law, we must, of course, await youu pleasure In this matter.
 Yours very truly.
 J. M. Dewberry.
 Vice President.