The copper era., 1909-09-02

Coal company, the commission has secured from the Southern Pacific company the publication of a S2.50 per ton rate on fuel wood from Smurr, Arizona, and intermediate points to Los Angeles, California.
 On behalf of the Arizona Terri torial Fair commission and in the in- terest of the Fair, the commission requested Wells, Fargo & Company Express to handle free the race horses returned from Phoenix to original points of shipment, this con- cession having been made by the railways, as to points within the ter ritory. The express company was also requested to permit stop over privilege in Phoenix on race horses en route to California points with protection of the through trans-con- tinental rate plus the local rate from Maricopa or Ash Fork to Phoenix and return. The question of free re- turn of race horses is still pending. The express company declined to grant the request for a stop over privilege at Phoenix, insisting that re-shipment from Phoenix to Cal ifornia points must be treated as a separate transaction. The com mission was led to make the request for this stop over privilege by reason of the large extra cost to horsemen who shipping from St. Louis, for ex- ample, to California, wish to exhibit at the territorial fair. At the time the request was made the rate on horses, Fl Paso to Los Angeles, was $425 per car; Fl Paso to Phoenix, $500 per car; Phoenix to Los Angeles, $500 per car; but shortly afterward, in compliance with a ruling of the Interstate Commerce Commission af- fecting express rates in Arizona, new rates went into effect and are now in force. The present rate from Fl Paso to Los Angeles is S425 per car; Fl Paso to Phoenix, S375 per car; Phoenix to Los Angeles, S4O0 per car. This decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission was a result of complaint made by the Maricopa County Commercial club as to ex- press rates from and to Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.
 On complaint of the Pacific Cream cry company, of Tempe that they are unable to do jobbing business from Benson to other Fl Paso and Southwestern points on account of discrimination against Benson, the Fl Paso and Southwestern system has agreed to eliminate the discrimina- tory features and the commission is now awaiting the proposed figures before deciding if further action is necessary.
 The Foster Mercantile company of Stafford filed complaint against the Southern Pacific company and the Gra Valley, Globe & Northern rail- way for not furnishing empty cars for loading as ordered. The railway officials have assured the commission that, while there was a shortage of cars, they were doing all possible to fill orders and would be able to do SO in few days.
 On complaint of the Globe Chamber of Commerce that the freight rates from California to Globe were ex- cessive, and after carefully inYesti- gating the case, the commission re- quested the Southern Pacific company and the Gila Valley, Globe S Northern | railway to reduce class and commod- ity rates from the California points mentioned to Globe. The reductions requested amount to an average of about forty per cent. A copy of the commissions letter to the railway officials in which the reductions were requested is hereby appended for your further information. The com mission having reached the conclu- sion, after some correspondence, that satisfactory reductions would not be granted by the railways, the attor- ney of the com mission was, at spe- cial meeting held on the 17th instant, requested to prepare the case for PA GO Ii4O AdLOA obellO OOLl- merce Commission.
 The commission has laid before all the railroads of the Territory a peti- tion for reduction of generally one cent per mile in passenger rates. Hearings will be held on this question in the near future. The commission has formulated reduced ton mile rate basis and class graduation ta- ble, suggesting their adoption by all lines in the Territory.
 The commission is now compiling a reduced basis for class rates between Arizona points and Fl Paso, Altu- querque and California points which will have the effect of reducing all class rates from both east and west.
 The commission is prepa ring, on behalf of the Pacific Creamery con- pany of Tempe, petition as to rates on condensed milk from Tempe to points on the Santa Fe lines.
 In addition to the above complaints which have been presented to the