The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-05-17
BIG CHANGES
In FREIGHT [
RATES
GROWING OUT OF THE SPOKANE
RATE CASE.
Railroad Officials Confess They Must
Readjust Tariff Sheets to Meet
New Conditions.

There is to be a general shape up In
freight rates between the Missouri
river and the coast, according to the
statement of traffic manager who
was present at the recent conSulta-
ton of representatives of the rail
roads In Chicago.
On Friday there was conference OF
officials OF the Hartman system in
Washington at which ia. Reeves, gen.
eral freight agent of the Oregon Short
Line railway, was present. This meet
ing at the national capital was sec
ret one. It followed the general
meetings held in Chicago where rep
resentatives of the Hartman lines de-
voted much time getting together as
TO the policy to be pursued
1t will be remembered that the
Hartman system prayed the inter
state commerce commission for eX-
emption from the Spokane rate case
decision. Tho Washington meeting,
however. was preparatory to their
meeting with the interstate commerce
commission over the Spokane rate
case decision. Those present at the
meeting were j c. Stubps or Chica
go, P. B Miller Of Portland ]. A.
Reeves of Salt Lake, ]. A Munroe OF
Omaha of the Hartman system. JAS
Woodwork, G. B. Burnham and w.
w. Broughton of st. Paul of the Grea.
Northern, and j. A. Hanaford OF st.
Paul of the Northern Pacific, and Its
object was to prepare their case for
presentation to the commission A
Washington special to the Spokane
Spokesman Review under date of the
18th says:
Covered Whole Field.
At midnight one of the general traf-
fic managers. who took part In the
conference here, said to the Spokes-
man Review representative.
This conference today by princi-
pal traffic directors and vice presl-
dents of western roads covered the
entire adjustment of rates between
the Missouri river and Pacific coastS
The complaint by the Salt Lake Cham
ber OF Commerce bears the same re-
lationship to the general rate ADJUST
ment by California lines as the Spo-
kane case bears to, the general rate
adjustment OF the northern lines, and
not only Is 1t necessary to determine
what future rates will be from east
ern points 70 Spokane, but, too. the
relative adjustment from eastern in
termedIate territory as we'll as rates
from the Pacific coast east to the
same territories The commissions 8
decision intimated that the commits
sion expected such an adjustment of
distributiYe rates from the coast
eastward.
From our point Of view the entire
freight revenue OF the several cSm-
lpanies are involved and the scope of
our discussion, therefore, under these
circumstances, is not alone the Spo-
kane rates. but absolutely the whole
western rate situation, although. of
course, the Spokane rates control in
the whole matter and are our start
ing point as a matter of necessity,
especially as to the northern lines.
Decision Not Reached.
1--WE have reached no decision even
on the plan 10 be followed. there
fore we absolutely do not know any
thing specifically about what our new
rates will be under any plan that
might be adopted. We have not de
cided whether the commissions invi.
tation to submit an alternative plan
in the Spokane case will be accept
ed. or that the roads make their own
rcadlustment according to a plan GOV
erlng rates to Utah. Montana and
other territory. or resist the order OF
the commission In the Spokane case.
We might decide to submit an alter
native plan In the Spokane case and
ask vacation of the commission
order. in which instance there would
probably be further hearings here"
The dispatch further says: 1T is
learned that the coast cities fear that
the plan to 5e proposed by the roads
for readjustment of rates will strike
blow at them, the existence of this
fear presumably being due to some in.
timations given there that the dis
tributive rates will not retain the ad-
vantage hitherto accruing to them un-
der the supremacy of water 'competi'
tion in tariff making.
"a growing telief here Is that gen
uine compliance with the commits
sions order will mean thorough
Shaking up Of trans continental rates,
revoIutionizing the entire freight sit
uatlon from the Mississippi river to
the Pacific Commissioner Prouty will
have a most prominent part in con
sidering this matter, as he wrote the
final order In the Spokane
The railroads have promised the
commission that a final discussion will
be made by May 20.