The Cairo bulletin., 1909-08-11

Co. for fair treatment OF Cairo lam
Der shippers in the matter of freiel.
rates. But the following full report
of the contest before the commission
ard the ID ling, from the American
Immberman. will be Of interest to
Cairoites generally as showing some
of the advantages which Cairo of
fers and the efforts put forth to over
come them in the interest Of other
points, less favored:
The Interstate Commerce Gol.u.is.
sion has decided the case of the +.
SCI lhemier Company VS.. the illinois
Central Railroad Company ct al. coy
ering certain Memphis rates ca luH-
her. which by decision of the COM
mission. are declared to be unlawful,
The basis of the complaint filed by.
the Sondheimer company was the
grantirg Of reconsigning privileges To
Memphis, which are not permitted 70
apDlv to Cairo. whereby shippers To-
Gated at Memphis have an advantage
over Cairo lumbermen, and also 'he
claim that unjust and unreasonable
rates have been charged from Mis-
sjgsinpi points c. the defendants
lines to points north and east of Cairo
whereby Cairo shippers have been
subjected to undue discrimination
and prejudice and disadvantage.
The Lumbermc's Club of Memphis
6 IL, 4 t,l
ants and the defendants moved to
dismiss the complaint because ether
railroads ont of Memphis were not
made parties although their tariffs
contain the proyisia~ complained OF
with respect to the recon8igning OF
lumber from Memphis. The motion
to dismiss the complaint was denied,
The commission holding that other
carriers need not necessarily be
made parties to the proceedings.
At the hearing no evidence was
submitted 10 show the amount Of
rcnaration which should he made, the
commission preferring first to dee
the question of the validity of the
rates. with the understanding that
the case was to be held open for fur
Their proofs If the rates were found
unlawful,
The L. Sondheimer company is an
Illinois corporation, with executive
offices at Memphis, and distributing
Yards at Cairo, III 1t controls the
output of about twenty-five saw mills
in Mississippi. Arkansas and Louisi-
ana nine of which are in Mississippi,
south of Memphis.
The evidence showed that about
thirtyone wholesalers have distribut-
Ing yards at Memphis, and fifteen saw
and planning mills are operated there.
The lumber supply is obtained from
the various points in nearby states,
a large proportion of hardwood
handled being produced in Missis-
sppi.
Memphis is reached by nine rail
roads; has population of 100000
and by reason of its location on the
Mississippi river has water transpor
tation.
Cairo has a population of 10000;
five railroads and is practically at
the junction of the Ohio and Missis-
sippi rivers.
The tariff contained in the recon
signing privilege complained of is l..
&C.. G. No. l,i75. Under its provisions
dealers have been permitted to ship
into Memphis from southern and
western territory and there unload.
yard, house, grade ard dry their lum
her.
Within ninety days after its arrival,
upon presentation Of paid eXpenseI
bills showing movement into Mem
phis. the dealers were permitted toI
ship out the same lumber or an equal
tonnage of the same kind of lumber TO
certain horthcrn and eastern terri
tory The rate to Memphis was the
local rate from point of origin aud
the rate out of Memphis to points
the Mississippi river was the local
rate, accorIg to tariffs effective
April ], 1897. less certain maximum
shrinkages with the provision that
the inbound rate and the shrunk rate
otu Of Memphis must not be less than
the other rate from point of origin
to destinatidn
Testimony was introduced to show
that manipulation of expense bills by
Memphis dealers would be possible
and might result in their securing I'M
due advantages.
The real question at issue was who
ther or rot Cairo was unduly dis
eliminated against by rates on lum-
her from Memphis to points in Off
eial classification territory. including
cities on the west bank of The Missis-
sippi river and points y Minnesota
and Wisconsin east Of the river.
The roconsigIing tariff was con,
demned because if failed to show
rates from points Of origin TO ulti-I
mate dest5 alton and such rates could
be ascertained only by reference to-