Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1909-07-12
RATE
is EXPLAINED

There has been some misunder-
standing as to the nature OF the con-
! ference recently held by the Kali
| road Commission with the freight Of
| ficials of the Southern Pacific Com
pany the fear has been expressed
! that the adjustment in contemplation
might. in some way, have bearing
upon the great terminal case now be-
/ fore the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. In order to make the sltu-
alton clear a representative OF The
Appeal called upon Chairman Bar
tine and obtained from that gentle
| nina the following statement:
| There is and can be no connec-
| ton whatever between ..e two mat
| 1ers." said Mr.. Bartne. The case
| before the Interstate Commerce Com
| mission relates solely to interstate
| freight. brought from eastern points.
and delivered in Nevada. In TINS
case our commission is acting Simply
as an agent for the real parties IN
| interest-those who pay the freight
| ject except as we are authorized by
law TO lay it before the interstate
Commerce Commission. This has
been done very fully upon our part
but here will be further hearings
in the Spokane, Seattle, Portland,
Phoenix and Reno cases in October,
it being the purpose of the Interstate
Commerce Commission to make
general circuit at that time, and take
I'D these various cases in their ORDER
The conference held on the 6th
instant, with Messrs. Luce and
Reeves related solely to mira state.
or lin Nevada" local rates. Judge
Farrington'S decision was TO the Ell
feet that the maximum rates named
in the railroad commission law OF
| 1907. were not contiScatOry as applied
| TO the Central acitic road, but that
as TO the Nevada 4 California-the
old Carson 4 ColOradO-they were
confscatory. With respect TO the lat
| ter road the decision neld that the
suit was prematurely brought by the
| railroad company for the reason that
| the commission mad taken no formal
action to force the road to put the
| rates into effect. Hence the decis-
| ion was against the road. These
| maximum rates having been repeal
| ed. the Commission now has full
power TO prescribe rates that are
| just and reasonable, and Judge Far
| rington's decision furnishes a logical
and safe rule by which to determine
| what is just and reasonable in eacl
| particular case.
| 1t was our purpose to take this
matter up with the "aiiroads immedi-
! ately after the maximum rates were
repealed, but the high pressure of the
/ Reno terminal case prevented us
from doing so When finally We
We're relieved from that pressure for
! time. We notified General Freight
I Agent Luce to meet us in conference
That gentleman, however was in the
east, and il was nearly two months
before he could return and confer
| with us upon the subject. On the
9th instant, he and Mr. Reeves, Gen
| eral Freight Agent at Salt Lake City
met us mere, and We submitted a
| series OF propositions Tor reduction
OF rates. Our proposals covered
both the class and commodity rates
and the reductions asked Ior approx
mate 80 per cent from present rates
i We do not ask for horizontal re-
auction OF this amount all along the
line because that would be unjust
but the reductions asked for are
graduated according to distance anO
also according to classes and com
mOdlties. 1t was to enable the Com
mission to do this that the maximum
rate law was repealed.
Mr.. Luce, took our proposals un-
der consideration, with the promise
to submit propositions On behalf OF
the Company in about a week. We
expect to hear from him in few
days. We feel a moral certainty OF
obtaining very substantial reductions
in this way and at an early date. In
acting thus the desire OF the Com
! mission is to secure immediate re-
suits. A voluntary reduction now OF
80 per cent in local freight rates
would mean an annual saving to the
people of this State of more thar
500, 100000 upon the present volume
OF business. 1t is probable tha. We
, could ask for more, and enforce i
in court if refused, but 1t would take