The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1910-06-30


were handed down today by the inter-
state commerce commission affecting
freight rates. both class and commodity
--on all transcontinental lines operat-
Ing between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. Extensive reductions were
ordered.
In what Is known AZ the Reno case
the class and commodity rates from
Sacramento. Cal. by tho Southern Pa :
cific between Reno. New. and Cecil
Junction. Utah. were declared exces-
sive, and reasonable rates" were pre-
scribcd.
In what was known as the Port
land back haul case. the commission
decided that the freight rates from
Seattle. Tacoma and Portland to
points In Washington, oregon. Idaho
and Montana. were unreasonable and
a reduction of 20 per cent WAS pro-
posed.
In the Spokane case. the commits
sion decided that the present freight
rates were excessive. unjust and un-
reasonable on both class and com
modify freight.
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
In case involving class freight
rates from eastern territory to Phoe-
nix, Ariz.. the commission ordered re-
ductions of approximately 30 per cent
On complaint of the railroad commits
sion of Nevada the interstate COM
merce commission held that the class
rates from eastern defined territories
to points In Nevada were unreasona BILE
and ordered that rates materially
lower be put into effect by the car
ricrs.
OF Immense Importance.
The decisions are In what popularly
are known as the Pacific coast cases
The cases were heard last autumn by
the commission on It's six weeks trip
to the Pacific coast and intcrmountain
territory. and have been under consid-
Grafton ever since. The commits ion
realized the immense Importance of the
cases. not only 10 the railroads, but
to the shipping public. and II pre-
pared It's opinions with the greatest
care.
In every instance reductions In the
rates complained OF were made. and in
some instances they amounted to
nearly so per cent. The commission
found a remarkable rate existing on
the Pacific coast, and oven more re-
markable one in the intermountain
territory. This Is notably true of the
rates to and from Spokane. and Reno,
New.
The Spokane rate case has been be-
fore the commission In one form or
another for several years. The ship
pers of that city complained inslstently
of the rates they were charged on
freight classes and commodities from
eastern points of origin. because they
were required to pay the Pacific coast
terminal rates. plus the local rates,
back to Spokane. from these terminals,
although the freight was discharged at
Spokane by the railroads on the west
ern trip.
Back Haul at Reno.
Substantially the same state of af-
fairs existed at Reno and other points
which had 20 pay the rates to San
Francisco and the back haul local
rates from San Francisco or Sacra-
mento to the point of ultimate destina-
tion. These local rates In most in
stances amounted to two -fifths or more
Of the entire rate from eastern points
OF origin to Pacific coast terminals.
AS noted above. the decisions of the
commission In these cases affect all
class and commodity rates between
eastern points and the far west.
No complaint was made In any of
the cases OF the rates of the eastern
lines between Atlantic points and Mis-
sissippi river transfers, and all OF the
reductions ordered by the commission
affected the rates from Mssissippl
river transfer points to Pacific coast
terminals and intermountain territory
points.
Earnings Excessive.
The decision of the commission In
the city of Spokane against the North
ern Pacific and Great Northern COM
panies. and other. carriers. was pre-
pared by Commissioner Prouty 1t was
held that the earnings of the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern for the 10
years preceding 1908 might fairly be
termed excessive. and that reduction In
revenues might therefore be made
without violating the constitutional
rights of those companies"
The report continues:
Having determined that question,
we did not make reductions In rates to
Spokane for the reason that these reve-
nues were excessive and for the pur-
pose Of reducing the revenues The
rates to Spokane were held to be un-
reasonable and other rates We're cstab-
lishcd as reasonable on an entirely dif-
ferent consideration.
THE scheme Of rates proposed by