The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-14
RIVER RATES MUST
 NOT BE REDUCED Railroad Commission Makes
 Important Decision SOME RATES TOO LOW The Commission Disapproves Action of Some Steamboat Companies In
 Cutting Schedules on Ala
 bama Rivers.
SOME RATES TOO LOW

Montgomery, April 13.-(Special.)-In a decision handed down today the railroad commission of Alabama pronounces the rates scheduled by the Mobile Navigation company and by the Birmingham and Gulf Railway and Navigation company too low, taking into consideration the service that should be performed, and or ders all steamboats and navigation com panies to observe the rates adopted by the commission on April 16. 1908
 The effect of the decision is to cause a revertal to the old rates as promulgated one year ago. and an immediate adoption of the schedule.
 The decision of the commission was taken as a result of the testimony heard yesterday before the body. From the tes- timony," the decision reads, "the com mission forms the conclusion that these tariffs for lower rates were filed for no other purpose than to cut the revenues of other boats that were apparently re- ceiving a larger share of the patronage of the shippers; that it was the expecta- tion of these boats to extend their lines of operation as is possibly to take in the whole length of the two rivers. This would result in a demoralization of the traffic. and would finally result in a com bination or pool arrangement for self protection"
 FlatIy Disapproves.
 Arguing from this the decision con- tinues "The commission cannot lend it's approval to any steps that would lead to such unlawful results. and, therefore, re- a firsY1aC ff5 affA garding the rates applicable on the Ala bama and Tombgbee rivers and tribu- taries and hereby orders all steamboats and navigation companies to observe the rates adopted April IS, 1908, and hereby disapproves especially the rates filed by the Mobile Navigation company and by the Birmingham and Gulf Railway and Navigation company, contrary to the rates ordered by the commission"
 The decision of the commission was worked out after the hearing of all testi- mony was taken at the special session of the commission on yesterday, and was unanimous in it's rulings. The decision states that 'even the parties who had filed the lower rates frankly stated that they had no knowledge of the cost of do- ing business on the Alabama and Tom bigbee rivers, and that the rates were purely experimental"
 Attention is also called to the admis- sion, of one of the companies that two of the trips had been made by their steam boats which resulted in a loss of s2SO
 History of Case.
 The history of the case Is that the Bir- mingham and Gulf people inaugurated a new system of rates with which to over come competition; that the rates were alleged confscatory and monopoly nro- ducers
 Several days ago one of the boats of the company was sent on a trip in open defiance of the rates of the commission bearing upon the river traffic The hear ing yesterday was directly due, 1t is thought, to this violation. Yesterday's s meeting was called for the commission to show cause why the lower rates should not obtain, as scheduled by the two com panies in question.