Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-09
RAIL RATES HIGHER
Commerce Commission Points
Out Increases in Report to
Congress
FREIGHT TARIFFS ADVANCED
Tendency on the Other Hand Has Been
to Push Passenger Rates Down
Charges on Corn Products, Lumber,
Coal, Steel and Other Commodities
Of Daily Use Are Higher.

Chicago, Feb. 9.-Many important
advances in freight rates on coal, iron,
steel, grain, lumber, packing house
products, sugar. and other commodities
have been made by the railroads since
the passage of the Hepburn law, &C.
cording to a report to congress by the
interstate commerce commission in
compliance with the Madden resolu-
ton.
The futility of attempting to esti-
mate even approximately the effect or
amount of the various rate charges Is
demonstrated, however, the commission
says, by it's calculation that over $780,
100000 items of freight rates are In
cluded in the tariffs and classificattons
filed with the commission since July
/, 1907 Passenger rates have been
greatly reduced in that time.
The resolution was introduced IN
Jan. 15 at the request Of shippers, who
expected to demonstrate that the roads
had greatly Increased their transpor-
tation charges by direct advances in
the tariffs, by changes in classical
ticn, by charging for privileges for
merly accorded free, as well as by the
large sums saved by the prohibition of
rebates.
Commission Gets Size Of Task.
To furnish the information desired,
the commission calculates. would re-
quire the work of one expert rate clerk
working for $4,000 days or 230 clerks
every day for a year.
potwoap I,,ly 1Q06 and Ian IL
1909, over 100000 schedules of rates,
including classifcations and supple
ments. were filed at Washington. AS
these averaged about five pages each
with fifty rate items to a page. approx
imately 100000 pages, Tor 15O0O00Oo
itene. would have to be checked up
with the old rates in order to deter
mine whether the law has permitted
an increase in rates the report says:
1T will therefore be seem says the
commission, chat 1t is impossible with
the present force to undertake such Il
check of rates as would be necessary in
order to furnish the information re-
quested."
Many Rate Increases Noted.
Altho the commission has not been
able to keep record Of the advances.
it says that important rate increases
have been made since the passage Of
the Hepburn amendment, among
which in a general way it notes the
following:
Coal---Five cents ton from Mary
land and West Virginia coal fields to
Central Freight Association territory
and from Kentucky and Alabama fields
to points in Southeastern Freight AS
ISOLATION territory.
Iron and steel-Rates subject to Of
fetal classification in general have been
advanced by withdrawal of commodity
rates and being subjected therefore to
higher class rates.
Lumber-From Chicago and points
basing thereon to trunk line territory
rates have been generally advanced by
withdrawal of commodity rates and
application of higher class rates.
Corn Products Tariff Advanced.
Grain and grain products-Advances
2 cents per 100 pounds from Ohio and
Mississippi river crossings to South
eastern Freight Association territory;
cents per 100 from Chicago to New
York on May, 1907; Ia cents per 100
from the Missouri river crossings and
Chicago.
Packing house products-Three cents