The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-30
commission and will be further heard
in that behalf.'
DETAILS OF DECISION
AS TOLD BY DISPATCHES
BY .N,soclatcd Press

I1S GNNSOcIhlpu licSSs
WAsHINGToN. June 29.-Decisions
were handed down today by the inter
state commerce commission country
wide in Importance. They affect freight
rates-both class and commodity-on all
transcontinental lines operating betwocn
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Exten-
siye reductions were ordered.
In what is known as the Reno case.
the class and commodity rates from Sac
ramentos Cal. by the Southern Pacific
between Reno. New, and Cecil Junction.
Utah, were declared excessive. and "rea-
sonable rates were prescribed.
In what was known as the Portland
back haul case, the commission decided
that the freight rates from Seattle. Ia
coma and Portland to points In Washing
ton Oregon. Idaho and Montana were un-
reasonable and a reduction OF 20 per
cent was proposed.
In the Spokane rate case, the commits
were excessive and just and reasonable
rates on both class and commodity
freight we're established for the future.
Present class rates bet tween Utah COM
mon points and Mississippi and Missouri
river transfer points were also found TO
be excessive. and they were ordered to
be reduced about Is per cent.
Glass Freight Rates.
In n case INVOLVING class freight rates
from eastern territory TO Phoenix. Ariz.,
the commission ordered reductions OF
approximately 80 per cent.
On complaint OF the railroad commits
sion OF Nevada. the interstate commerce
commission held that tho class rates
from eastern defined territory to points
I'm Nevada were unreasonable and ordered
that rates materially lower be put into
effect by the carriers.
The decisions arc in what popularity
are known as the Pacific coast cases.
The cases were heard last autumn by
the commission on its six weeks trip TO
the Pacific coast and intermountain ter
pit Tor a Nd 1n
ever since. The commission realized the
immense Importance of the cases not
only 10 the railroad. but to the shipping
public. and 1t prepared it's opinions with
the greatest care.
In every instance reductions In the
rates complained OF were made and in
some Instances ;hey amounted 10 nearly
so per cont. The commission found a
remarkable rate situation existing on the
Pacific coast, and even r'ore remark-
able one in the ;ntermountaln territory,
This Is notably true of .hc rates To and
from Spokane, Wash and Reno. Ncv
The Spokane rate case had been before
the commission in on" form or another
for several years. The Shippers OF that
city complained nsisteltly Of the rates
they were charged on freight classes and
commodities from eastern points OF ori-
gin. because they were required to pay
the Pacific coast terminal rates. plus the
local rates. back to SPOKANE from those
terminals. although lie freight was dis
charged nj Spokane hy ;hc railroads on
the western trip.
Discrimination Shown.
Substantially the same state OF affairs
existed at Reno and other points. which
had to pay tho rates to San Francisco
and the back-haul local rates from San
Francisco or Sacramento the point OF
ultimate destination. These local rates
In most Instances amounted to two
fifths or more OF the entire ratio from |
eastern points of origin to Pacific coast
terminals.
As noted above. the decisions Of tho
commission I'm these cases affect all class
points and the far west.
No complaint was made in any of the |
cases OF the rates OF the eastern lines
between Atlantic pon;s and Mississippi |
river transfers, ana all of The reductions |
ordered by the commission affected The |
rates from the Mississippi river and Mis-
souri, river transfer points to Pacific |
coast terminals and intcrmountain terri
tory points.
The decision of tho commission In the
city of Spokane against the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern companies
and other carriers was prepared by
Commissioner Prouty. 1t was held that
the earnings of the Northern Pacific and
the Great Northern for tho Ton years
preceding 1908 might fairly be termed
excessive. and that reduction in rcVc-
nues might therefore be made without
violating the constitutional rights OF
those companies" The report continues:
Having determined that question. We
did not make reductions I'm rates 10 Spo-
kane for the reason That these "cvcnues
were excessive and Tor the purpose OF
the revenues. Tho rates to
Spokane were held to he unreasonable, |
and other rates were established as rua-
sonable on an entirely different cons!d-
GRAFTON.
Not Founded on Facts.
"'rhe scheme or rates proposed by tho
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
for tho transportation of traffic from ST.
Paul and Chicago to Spokane made by
taking T. per cent from the terminal rates
Is founded upon facts which do not exist.
and is constructed on n theory which
cannot be approved by the commission" !
The rates established for the future
are materially lower-approSimately 20
per cent on both classes and commodi
.Ies-but they will not be effective i'm
The defendant lines maintained that IF
aterial reductions were made. tho re |
suit would he disastrous. in View of the