Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1910-06-18
Idaho Daily Statesman)

Washington, June 15-The Inter
state commerce commission in a de-
cision announced today holds that
the freight rate of 81 per ton on
coal in carloads shipped from the
wyoming mines to Boise and IL other
points in southern Idaho is exces-
sive and directs the Oregon Short
Line on or before August to setab-
lish new rates to these points which
shall not exceed $3.50 per ton on car
load shipments. This decision is
rendered on complaint filed last Au-
gust by the league Of southern Idaho
Commercial Clubs and applies to car
load shipments of coal from Rock
Buhl, Burley, Filler, Haley,
Rupert, Twin Falls, Gooding, Mountai
Home and Weiser. The commission
In its opinion shows that Anaconda an
Butte, Mont, which are further from
the Wyoming coal fields than south
ern Idaho points now have a rate of
1926 on lump coal and SO. on slack
while Portland, that Is twice the
distance from the mines, pays the
same rate as Boise and neighboring
cities. 1t also found that the revenue
S from the coal shipped
10 Idaho exceeds the average revenue
On all the traffic on the Short Lime
Notwithstanding coal Is a low grade
supposed to take low
'ate, and the rate therefore is unreason
able. Inasmuch as the railroad saw
1t to extend the same rate to all
southern Idaho points except Burley
md Rupert which pays 1915 regard
ess whether they are on the main
inc or on spur the commission
lolds that the reasonablneess of the
ate is to be tested as a whole and
Is compared to Butte and Anaconda
ate and the rate to Portland, the
commission finds southern Idaho is
,aying too much for coal transpor-
alton and therefore orders a reduc-
ion to $3.50 per ton.
In effect, the decision of the COM
mission means that the old coal rate
f 81 per ton between WyomiEg
nines and southern Idaho points will
e cut to $3.50, and rs this s".uOn
onsumes about 200,00J tons per year,
he aggregate annual sajG i. to tno
eople will be about 100000.
In the opinion of local authorities,
is not probable that the railroads
ill contest the decision in the
ourts because the case of the lea
ues was based on fair demands.
he decision will probably become
rfective within so days.
Among those to whom credit is
rgely due for this victory, as they
ere chiefly instrumental in bring
lg and fighting the case to finish,
'e C. r. Shaw, chairman of the
affic committee; Kelley Atkinson,
,cretary of the League of Southern
aho Commercial Clubs, and Rich
d z. and Hichard III. Johnson, the
torneys for the league.
The Complainant includes the com
ercial clubs of Boise, Caldwell, 7
ampa, Mountain Home, Weiser, Twi
alls, HALEY, Filler, Buhl, Burley,
upert, Gooding and other towns in
,uthern Idaho, making a total OF
bodies, practically representing
@ busin IS and prof ssional interests
the whole southern part of the I
ate.
The case involved an array Of dis y
leuished counsel on either side,
ID numerous witnesses who tesu-
ID at the hearing here are recog-
zed experts in their various fields, IL
.rley l.. Williams, general counsel TO
Q Oregon Short Line at Salt Lake,
operations for the defense, II
sisted by d. Worth Clark of Poca- s.
10, one of the leading Short Line Il
torneys in this state Attorney o
.orge H. Smith of Salt Lake is n
dertsood to have worked on the d
Sc in behalf of the railroads. f. n
billiard and w. H. Loomis of Chicag ol
neral scounsel for the Hartman IL
es, who are the regular interstate al
nmerce attorneys for the Union W
cific, Oregon Short Line and South HI
! Pacific railroads, had charge OF II
: eastern end Of the case though y