Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-29
EXPRESS RATES
ARE TOO HIGH
FILES COMPLAINT WITH RAIL
ROAD COMMISSION PRAY
ING FOR RELIEF.

The Merchants and Manufacturers
association OF Milwaukee, through its
transportation attorney. Walter Drew
OF tbs city, accuses the express com
panies OF charging excessive. unrea
sonabe, extortionate and unlawful
tariffs for transportation between Milr
waukee and some 1877 other points III
Wilson's IN, in a complaint filed with
the railroad commission yesterday.
The respondents are the Wells, Fargo
& Co., United States Express com
pany, American Express company,
National Express company, Northern
Express company and Western Elk
press company.
The complaint alleges that Wells,
Fargo & Co. have arbitrarily and I'M
lawfully advanced the rates and
charges for transportation OF express
from Milwaukee and other Wisconsin
points. 1t is set forth in the COM
plant that the advances range in
amount from ten per cent. to so per
cent and average '23.6 per cent of the
pre-existing rates of the United States
Express company which Wells, Fargo
& Co. superseded. The complaint
further declares that just and reason
able rates for the transportation OF
cypress between Milwaukee and the
other points in Wisconsin named in
the tariffs Of the respondent would in
no case. exceed, but would in many
cases be less than so per cent of the
rates and charges named in the tariff,
amendments and supplements of the
respondent, and would in no case ex-
coed and would in many cases be less
than So per cent of the rates and
charges formerly eXacted and collect
ed by the United States Express com
pany.
The United States and Adams Eek
press companies are accused by the
complainant of transporting express
between Milwaukee and exclusive
points on their lines in Wisconsin by
circuitous roundabout and ineXpedi-
tious routes solely that the companies
may secure for themselves the largest
possible revenue and profit therefrom
and wholly in disregard of the rights
and interests of the shippers and the
public in general. The complainant
prays ~ 1t the respondents, engaged
in the ? importation of express in
Wisco, in, should be required to is
sue, publish and file with the railroad
commission joint tariffs of just and
reasonable joint rates and charges
reasonable joint rates and charges
would in no case exceed and in many
cases would be less than rs per cent
of the sum of Just and reasonable 10
cal rates between the points Of ship
ment, transfer and destination respec-
lively, over the shortest, most eXpedi-
tious and practical routes, says the
complaint.
Get Good Returns.
The complaint rectes that the risks
of the business of the respondent
companies are inconsiderabe and that
the amount Of their investment in the
conduct of their business as common
carriers is small ct impaired with the
volumes and returns of their business.
interesting Data.
The National F. press is capitalized
at S5O0000 and the total value of its
property and equipment used in the
conduct of it's business on June So,
1909. was about $4,000. For the year
ending June 80 last its net operating
revenues. after the payment o. all OPP
Grating expenses and taxes, were
sl03.313 which is more than $40 per
cent Of the total vaAe of all its prop
ertv used in the conduct of its bus
mess. Out of the net operating reve-
nues the company paid to its share
holders dividend of six per cent up
on its excessive and fictitious capital
ization, the complaint alleges, and
turned the balance over to the Amer
lean Express company.
Statements showing that similar
conditions exist as to the other com
panies named in the complaint, are
also made by the complainant.
The complainant alleges that the
tables of graduated charges provided
IN the official classification for the
transportation of express packages
eighing less than 100 pounds is IL
xsgical, unscientific, discriminatory and
unlawful, and is devised and con-
structed in disregard of the lawful
rights and interests of the public, and
solely with regard to yielding to the
respondents the largest revenues and
profits upon the traffic in the form in
which it is principally transported by
express between points in Wisconsin.
To show that the charges are grossly
excessive, dispropOrtionate discrimin-
atory. extortiorate and unlawful, the
complainant cites that the charges
exaoted enforced and collected there
under by the respondents for the
transportation by express between
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and other
points in wisconsin where the rate for
100 pounds is 80 cents, are the same
for packages weighing over so pounds
as for 100 pounIs; where the rate
per 100 pounds Is 60 cents, are the
same for packages weighing over 50
pounds as for 100 pounds; where the
rate IS IS cents per 100 pounds, are
the same for packages weighing over
50 pounds as for 100 pounds: where
the rate is 80 cents per 100 pounds,