Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-30
REDUCE WESTERN
FREIGHT CHARGES
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Lowers Rates on Trans
continental Railroad Lines
ASSOCIATED PressJ

WASHINGTON June 29.-Decisions
were handed down today by the in
terstate commerce commission country
wide in Importance. They affect freight
rates, both class and commodity, on
ali transcontinental lines operating be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Extensive reductions were ordered.
In what is known as the Reno case,
the class and commodity rates from
Sacramento, Cal, by the Southern Pa
cific between Reno, New, and Cecil
Junction, Utah, were declared eXces-
sive and reasonable rates" were pre-
scribed.
In what is known as the Portland
''back haul'' case, the commission de-
cided that the freight rates from
Seattle, Tacoma and Portland to points
in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and
Montana were unreasonable, and. a re-
duction of 20 per cent was proposed.
In the Spokane rate case the COM
mission decided that present freight
rates were excessive, and Just and
reasonable rates on both class and
commodity rates were established for
the future.
Present class rates between Utah
common 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.
CUTS ARIZONA RATES
In a case involving class freight rates
from eastern territory to Phoenix,
Ariz., the commission ordered reduc
tions of approximately 30 per cent.
On complaint of the railroad COM
mission of Nevada, the interstate COM
merce commission held that the class
rates from eastern defined territory to
points in Nevada were unreasonable
and ordered that rates materially lower
be put into effect by the carriers.
The decisions are 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
territory and have been under consid-
Grafton ever since.
The commission realized the immense
Importance of the cases, not only to
the railroads, but to the shipping pub
lie, and it prepared its opinions with
the greatest care.
In every instance in the rates COM
planned of were made and in some in
stances they amounted to nearly fifty
per cent. The commission found
remarkable rate situation existing on
the Pacific coast and even a more re-
markable one in the intermountain ter
ritory. This is notably true of the
rates to ana from spokane, WASH, ana
Reno, New. The Spokane rate case
has been before the commission in one
form or other for several years.
SPOKANE SHIPPERS COMPLAIN
The shippers of Spokane complained
insistently of the rates they were
charged on freight classes and COM
modities from eastern points of origin,
because they were required to pay the
Pacific coast terminal rates, plus the
local rates back to Spokane from those
terminals, although the freight was
discharged at Spokane by the railroads
on the western trip.
Substantially the same state of af-
fairs existed at Reno and other points,
which had to pay the rates to San
Francisco and the back haul local rates
from San Francisco or Sacramento to
the point of ultimate destination. These
local rates in most instances amounted
to two-fifths or more of the entire rate
from eastern points Of origin to Pa
cific coast terminals.
AS noted above. the decisions of the
commission in these cases affect all
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