The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-06-29
Sweeping Changes in the Freight Rates Of
the Entire West Are Ordered. Nevada
Granted Reductions Spokane Wins Its
CaSe== ==Back=Haul Charges Cut Down

Washington. Juno 29.-Decisions
were handed down today by the In
terstate Commerce commission
countrywide In Importance They al
/ feet freight rates. both class and
commodity, on all transcontinental
lines operating between the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans, Extensive reduc
lions 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 cxces~
sive, and reasonable rates" were pre-
scrlbed.
In what was known as the Portland
back-haul case, tho commission dc.
cided that the freight rates from Sc
attic, Tacoma and Portland to points
In Washington, Oregon, Idaho and
Montana were unreasonable and re-
duction OF 20 per cent was proposed
In the Spokane case the commits
sion decided that the present freight
rntes were excessive. and just and
reasonable rates on both class and
commodity freight were established
for the future.
Present class rates between Utah
common points and Mississippi and
Missouri rayer transfer points were
also found to be excessive and they
were ordered to be reduced about Is
per cent
In case involving freight rates
from eastern territory TO Phoenix,
Ariz.. the commission ordered reduc-
tions OF approximately thirty per
cent
Important Decisions.
On complaint of the railroad com
mission OF Nevada, the Interstate
Commerce commission held that class
rates from eastern defined territory
10 points in Nevada were unreasonable
md ordered, that rates materially
lower be put into effect by the car
IierS
The decisions are In what are pop
uIarly known as the Pacific coast
cases. The, cases Were, heard last au-
tumn b. the commission on It's six
weeks trip 10 the Pacific coast and
iDtermouDtain territory, and have
been under consideration ever since.
The commission realized the Inn
lnense Importance Of the cases. not
only to the railroads but 10 the ship
ping public, and 1t prepared its opin-
ions with the greatest care.
In every instance reductions in the
rates complained of were made and In
some instances they amounted TO
nearly fifty per cent
The commission found remark
able rate existing on the Pacific
coast and an even more remarkable
In Int a m
This is notably true of the rates to
au dfrom Spokane and Reno.
Spokane Ratos,
The Spokane rate-case had been be-
fore the commission, In one form or
another. for several years The ship
pers of that city complained insist
emily OF the rates they were charged
on freight, classes and commodities.
from eastern points OF origin, be-
cause they were required TO pay tho
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 western trip.
Substantially the same state of af-
fairs existed at Reno and other points
which had TO pay the rates 10 San
Francisco and the 0acK-naul local
rates from San Francisco or Sacra-
mento TO the point of ultimate destl-
nation These local rates In most
instances amounted TO two-fifths or
more OF the rate from eastern points
OF orlginto Pacific coast terminals.
AS noted above. the decisions OF the
committee In these cases affect all
class and commodity rates between
eastern points and the far west.
No complaint was made In any or |
the cases OF the rates Of tho eastern
lines between Atlantic points and Mis-
slssippi river transfers, and all of the |
reductions ordered by the commie-
sion affected tho rates from Missis- |
slppi river and Missouri river trans
Ter points to Pacific coast terminals !
and intermountain territory points.
CONTINUED on Page Seven)