Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-02
10 STAND ON PETITION
Railways object TO Proposed Action
ON Allegation that They Must
bear Portion Of Burden
Of nccrenaen

CHICAGO. Dec. IAN offer Of the Pull
man company 20 reduce the rates charged
for upper berths IN sleeping cars 20 per
cent where lower berths were priced more
than 1850 10 make the price Of uppers
SL25 as a minimum and reduce some lower
berth rates. was opposed before the Inter
state Commerce commission here today by
attorneys general OF four states and by
two railroads. The Pullman company's
offer left unchanged Pullman seat rates
and was 10 become effective on approval
and acceptance by the commission.
Opposition 20 the plan was offered on the
part Of the railroads on the allegation that
they would have 10 stand a part Of the
brunt OF the lessened prices and by the
attorneys general on the claim that the
reduction was not sufficient.
Il don't think the 20 per cent reduction
represents the difference in service value
Of an upper and lower BERTH" said Attor-
ney General James Bingham Of Indiana
1T isn't enough, / stand on our pc
tition," said Attorney General John S.
Dawson Of Kansas
Here too.T agreed Attorney Luther
Walters, representing Attorney General
Norwood Of Arkansas.
at isn't at ali satisfactory" concluded
Attorney General Charles West Of Okla
homa.
Deadlock Results.
Commissioners Franklin X. Lane and f.
r. Clarke, therefore were confronted by
an offer OF voluntary reduction Of rates for
uppers and also a number OF material re-
duotions on lower berth rates. which the
railroads said were too large, and the state
officials called too small. The whole mat
ter came up on the combining Of all COM
plants against sleeper rates in one hear
ing by the commission, following an order
from the federal circuit court that pre-
vious cuts ordered by the commission were
not Justified.
The Pullman company's reduction sched-
ule included the following cuts on lower
berth rates, upon which, as on remaining
existing rates. the 20 per cent charge for
uppers WAS proposed 20 be applied, the
effort being, according to the company's
Representatives. to charge an average Of 6
mills per mile:
Chicago to New York.....................
New York to Tampa, ,......................& 80
Poughkeepsie to Elkhart and South
New York to ST. Augustine. Fla. or -'1
New York 70 East ST. Louis, ni..,.... nii,.... Is
New rates proposed by the company in
Glide these:
St Paul or Minneapolis to Seattle and
Pacific coast points. s...................,....$11 .$11
New York to New rleans.....,........... 8
Chicago to San Francisco. ......,.......... IS
The former Mlnnesota-Pacinc coast rate
was tl2 and from Chicago to San Fran
cisco Si4
The commission will hear further argu-
ments. and II held advisable, will receive
evidence In the specific cases combined In
one hearing.
The Great Northern railroad. which owns
it's own sleeping cars, protested against
the proposed reduction In rates on the
ground that Il, too would have to meet the
reduction and would have to stand the
Entire loss. The Chicago, Milwaukee & ST.
Paul road. which also owns its own sleep
ers. was represented, but no comment was
made on the proposal.
q. s. Fernald,, assistant general solicitor
Of the Pullman company, saidi
I'VE decided that although the upper
berths cost more to build, furnish and
maintain than the lowers. public discrlm-
inahon against the uppers required a re-
dpction In their price. Where the lower
berth Is rated at $50 the upper will be
Sl.25 ana in all Instances other than this
ths upper VIII cost 80 per cent OF the lower.
"NOt rate has been raised by this new
schedule, but VIC are endeavoring to adjust
all charges 10 correspond with the east
ern standard OF mills a mile. However,
the lower berth rate from Chicago to New
a. rnEt