The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-23
NEW SCHEDULE OF
RATES ON COTTON
Mississippi Railroad Commits
sion Issues An Order
RELIEF TO SMALL SHIPPER
Many County Fairs VIII Be Held in
Mississippi This Fall and Boys
Corn Clubs VIII Get
Sharp Impetus.

jackson, Miss, July 22.-(Sp ecial.)-
President Lee of the railroad COM
mission pulled a Jack from the bottom
of the deck yesterday when he an
nounced his proposed schedule of rates
on cotton in the state of Mississippi.
The representatives of the several rail-
roads present will admit that it is the
smartest piece of legislation that has
been attempted by the Mississippi COM
mission in years, and they were not
prepared to go into final settlement
of the proposition at this meeting of
the commission. The spokesman who
appeared before the commission stated
openly and above board that they were
not in a position to accept, reject or
give notice of a fight before the courts,
and played for time, which was
granted, so that the proposition is held
in allegiance till the August meeting.
President Lee and doubtless all the
members of the commission take the
position that the small towns, those
having no compress and no river COM
petition are paying the bulk of the
freight ON cotton, and they propose to
equalize things so far as possible and
extend to the farmer and the small
shipper Of uncompressed cotton all the
relief possible.
This means that rates to river points
-vicksburg, Natchez. Greenville, Gulf
port and other places-are going to get
cotton shipped to their congresses
cheaper than ever and that If the rail-
roads get more than one haul out of
the cotton they are going to have to
meet river competition to New Orleans
and other seaports That is the point
the railroad men saw very early in the
game, and they want time in which to
discuss it and digest it.
President Lee was asked what would
resolution, or proposed order and
stated that it would be 40 to so per
cent on present rates, which is a big
thing. For some of the little towns
adjacent to compress towns like Jack
son it means as much as rs per cent re-
duction-or more, and they will be TIL
chief beneficiaries.
These rates proposed do not apply
and are not intended to disturb float
ing, re-billing or compress rate that
is now in effect. They are as follows
One to 20 miles, 45c; 20 to 80 miles
soc; 80 to 40 miles, 55c; 40 to so miles
soc; so to so miles, ESQ., 60 to 70 miles
roc; 70 to 80 miles, 75c; 80 to 90 miles
soc; 90 to 100 miles, $50; 100 to lie
miles, 81; 120 to lao miles, $1.15; lac
to 100 miles, $1.20; 100 to 1870 miles
$1.25; $50 to 200 miles, S1.30; 200 to 25C
miles, $1.35; $50 to 900 miles, $40; SOC
to $50 miles, $1.45.
There are going to be more fairs il
MiAissippi next fall than ever before
heard Of and some of them are going t.
| be the best ever seen In any state So
| far dates have been fixed for the follow
! ing:
Philadelphia August 1920; J. II. Hus
! ton, secretary. Baldwin. September 14-19
| w. L. McElroy, secretary. Louisville
| September 21-23; d. Tomlinson, secretary
| Tupelo, September 2S-3O; r. H. Mellin
secretary. Corinth, October 6-S; r. M
| Striplin, secretary. Starkvile Octobe
6-S; G. M. Mason. secretary. Greenville
| October 11-16; l.. Pink Smith, secretary
Lake, October 12-15; J. B. Lopez, secre
tary. Holly Springs, October 12-16; C. II
| Curd, secretary. Natchez, October 1920
L. E. Davis. secretary. Lexington, Octo
Der 1915; w. H. Smith, secretary. Boone
| vile, October 1915; e. d. Foster, secre
/ tary Columbus, October 1922; John oil
yer, secretary. Mt. Olive, October 1921
M. M Evans, secretary. Yazoo City. DC
| tober 1924; D. Wollersten, secretary
Water Valley, October 2o-23 T. A. Early
secretary. Jacksonville State Fair-Octo
| Der 26 to November 5.
Fairs are promised Grenada, Hatties
| burg, Hazlehurst, Prentiss, Ripley, Quit
| man, Senatobia, Waynesboro and 1uka
but the dates have not as yet been an
| nounced -
| In % or 30 counties there WI be one
day fairs or exhibitions of T.. corn pro
duced by the boys of the corn club.