Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-04-24
ARBITRARY RATE
IS TO Be PROBED
Provo Concern Files Complaint
With Interstate Commerce
Commission.
NO COMPETITOR IN THE FIELD
Charge BASED on a Crate Weighing
light Pounds More Than
The Ono In Use.

Charging the Wells Fargo Express
company with discrimination boz enc
forcing arbitrary rate charges IN the
transportation OF strawberries out Of
Provo. the william NJ Roylancc COM
pany OF the Garden city has nled q
complaint against the express COM
pauy with the Interstate commerce
commission
10 seems that An seasons past the exc
press company. in handling the straw
berry crop OF Utah county has in-
sisted in charging the shippers GER
tain rate per crate OF berries This
rate 30 appears was figured by the
express company 0n the basis OF
particular style OF strawberry crate
which weighs approximately 80 pounds
and the price per crate OF berries no
matter what the style or weight was
charged by the express company on
the basis OF the Leslie crate. Il fur
Their appears that The Leslie crate As
not used at an in Utah but q crate
known as the double deck" Is used
almost entirely the crate weighing not
more on an average than IS pounds.
Tho shippers. therefore. were compel
led 20 pay for 8 pounds per crate
more than the actual weight OF their
crates. and the shippers Of Provo not
ahiv the William ~ Roylance COM
pany. being refused redress by the
express company concluded to appeal
90 the Interstate commerce commits
sion for relief.
PUBLIC Is INTERESTED.
Referring 20 the matter. Mr.. WIN
tam NJ Roylance. head Of the firm
Lodging the complaint, this morning
sald. since the Wells Fargo has
been the only express company OPP
Grating out OF this section OF the
country Il is doing several things
arbitrarily that / am sure Il would
not otherwise do. so much SO that we
have been called upon as q matter Of
self protection. 10 make complaint d.
rect TO the interstate commerce COM
mission with reference to its actions.
Not only fruit shippers. but the pub
lic are Interested In this matter OF
express rates, and I feel that IL Is
time some adjustment Of the same was
had We have drafted a letter OF
complaint to the officers Of the COM
mission setting forth our grievances.
and we hope that speedy lnvestiga-
tion Of the matter may be had for
the benefit Of an concerned"
The letter complaining OF the ar
hitrary actions OF the express CONF
pany. and forwarded 70 the interstate
commerce commission, IS as follows
Apn 22-Os
"Mr Edward A. Mosely. secretary.
interstate cohisterd& commission,
Washington, p. z.
pear we desire % enter com
plant against the Wells Fargo tx
presa Company for overcharging us
in the weight ner crate on strawher-
ries To illustrate: The Wells Fargo
advertise A rate Of 81. per cwt IN
900 pound lots Prose- to Denver and
Colorado common points They would
ship 20 boxes Of apples which weigh
about 1000 pounds and only charge
US this s. per cwt. rate but In ship
ping strawberries they will not take
them al actual weight They say they
have an estimated weight OF 30 pounds
per crate on Strawberries, which !
think Is about correct where what Is
called the Leslie" crate Is used. This
Leslie" crate however, is not used at
All in Utah. We have a special crate
that We use altogether IN Utah called
The "Doublc-deck" which weighs from
% pounds 10 "a pounds, or an
average OF about 25 pounds per crate.
The Wells Fargo company knows this
because their agents at various times
nave weighed them and verified this
weight We have billed them at act
uai weight. but they have Invariably
PVT the charges upon them on basis
of 80 pounds In other words, they
charge us for eight pounds per crate
more than they carry. n we ship
40 crates OF Strawberries to Denver
(Which weigh 1000 pounds only they
would charge us for 800 pounds. and
as a Justification therefor they claim
they have a published estimated
weight per crate CT 90 pounds each
FOR Strawberries, and that therefore,
they could not permit us 70 shin our
strawberries on the actual weight OF
25 pounds per crate.
Seems to me this arbitrary rule
is very unreasonable. and is not &C.
cording TO their published tariff rate
per cwt AZ al. We have tried TO
settle this matter with the Wells Far
go officials. but they arbitrarily over
rule us and say they will not accept
these shipments except on their adver-
! tised weight per crate, as stated
| above We are therefore. taking this
matter up with you and would respect
fully urge that YOU give this matter
| early consideration 10 that we can get
| II properly adjusted before our sea-
/ son commences which Is about June
| 10th. rs we will have n good many
thousand crates OF berries for ship
ment We are very anxious that this
matter be settled before the shipping
season commences.
Your early attention viii greatly
/ ohHge. Yours truly THE VIM. M
| ROYLANCE CO.