The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-26
Petition of Bloomington Ship
pers for a Switching Rate
Is Almost Similar to the
Richmond Case. 49,
HAS FAR REACHING
EFFECT IN INDIANA
Rights Of the Shipper at juno
ton Points Strongly Set
Out by a Decision of the Su-
preme Court.
especial cerrsspendsnt.)

Especial cerrsspondsnt.)
Indianapolis. Ind. May 2S.-The d.
cision handed down by Commissioners
Wood. OF the Indiana Railroad Com
mission. in the case OF six petitioners
at Bloomington against the Monon
railroad. and the Indianapolis South
| ern railroad, In which the COMPANIES
were ordered to establish q switching
| rate Of IS at Bloomington and main
tain II for two years. is expected by
the commission to have q far reaching
effect In Indiana to adjust q number
OF like differences already called to
the attention of the commission, N
well as differences which win be
found later. Among the cases direct
ly affected by the decision IL that at
Richmond. wherein the Richmond
Commercial Club ia petitioner against
the Pennsylvania and c., C.. Z I.
roads in which a like situation u
found.
No Switching Rates.
The Monon and the Indianapolis
Southern has established no switch.
ing rates at Bloomington. and the
rates charged the petitioners varied
from IS to $21. according to coudi.
tions. Since the Commission was at
tackled on its constitutional authority
In case at Connersville to order
physical connection for switching pur.
poses between connecting railroads,
and its power to fx switching RATES
wherc such connection was made.
Commissioner WooA.-8n--hSs 0pdnsoa,
went to considerable length into the
Commissions right under the law
/ In no other state do the statutes
require such complete physical con-
nection and the consequent full move
ment OF cars and interchange Of traf.
nc" he finds. mo option IL afforded
the carrier as to whether they viii
connect; II Is not necessary for the
shipper to assert the Obligation Of the
carriers. 1t Is the mandate Of the Law
that wherever and whenever the inter
section takes place the connection
shall also be made. II there Ia no In
terchange of business the Commissiou
may relieve on formal application IN
til the necessity arises.
Rights a. Shipper.
The rights of the shipper at the
junction point were strongly set ont
lin q Supreme Court decision eitedD
and as to those rights the General A.
sembly imposed q duty ON the railroad
commission. and it II made its duty 70
adopt all necessary rules and regula-
tions for car service. or the transfer
or switching Of cars from one rail-
road to another 1t junction points.
with the power to fix and establisA for
all connecting lines Of railroads In this
state reasnnable rates Of freight trans
fer and switching charges for the var
ious classes Of freight and ears that
may pass over two or more lines a
such railroads
BY requiring physical connections
between railroads and tracks to indus
tries. It was not meant to change the
ordinary plan Of operation or to Inn
pose any new or greater charge on
shippers for the same service per.
formed before the act (the shippers
bilD became effective. BY allowing
group rates (such n used at Bloom
ington) to be made. 1t was NOT intend
ed to authorize such groupings where
the consequence would be discrimina-
ton. or prohibitive rates 1t junction
points.
Any coNneetina Line.
by section I Of the shippers' bin.
carriers are required to rece1ve from
any connecting line at any terminal
all carload freight and 70 deliver the
same to the consignee On his private
track. or On its tracks. The passage
Of this bill and the Railroad Commis-
sion act. the latter making II the duty
Of the Commissioa 20 require and e.
tablish reasonable switching rates 1t
junction points were contemporaneou0
aDd affecting the same subject matter.
and they must be considered toeothsr
1T developed that the psseeoaaes %
The joint coal rates from points on the
Indianapolis Southern to any industry
IN Bloomington On the Monon was -
cents to the Indianapolis aputhern and
IS cents % the Monou. the absurd ro-
suit heing that IN q Uotoa ear. IL
|IndianApolis 9oufhesa would reesivo
SIS after hauling this car hfsy:nve
|mfles, while the Monon would receive
I32z-5O for switching Il on m allseeA
Joint rate. the average distance bo
Ing l-z7 mfles."
The finding fixes the swstching rate
TAT g a ear. The lndfne ~ = basis fos
fits computations cites the swftcAine
rates established in 3 cities ano
towns, the lowest being 81 . car II
Immmher ~ nI1ces and the hawhnaf a