The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-18
SCHEME OFTUG BOAT TRUSTTO WHIP
 ROADS IN LINE AT PORTS EXPENSE

per ton, and on a 30-ton car the wharf age fees would therefore be s. and on a 4O-ton car s4. In any case the charge would not be less than 50 per car, and In some as much as s6 per car.
 This Is new burden put upon export business moving through the port of Mobile. We contend that in order not only to control what export business we have moving through this port, but the increase we may be able to add to this business, 1t Is necessary for us to carry 1t through without any terminal charge whatever upon it, simply under the actual net rate which Is the same rate that the Turner
 Hartwell Docks Company csa secure from the Mobile and Ohio or the Southern Railway Company.
 The Mobile and Ohio and Southern Railway companies are subject to tho Jurisdiction of the Interstate Com merce Commission. The Hartwell Tug Trust, which handles all of the ves- sells going through the channel is not, and 1t could say to the master of a vessel, the charges at the Turner- Hartwell docks are the same as they are at the railroad docks, and if you will allow us to put your vessel in at the Turner Hartwell docks, we will only charge you half of the regular amount we charge for towing your vessel to the railroad docks The Hartwell Tug Trust Is not 3rbject to the Jurisdiction of the Interstate Con- merce Commission, and we would be without any remedy against such prac- tices. Does any fair-minded man think that the Interstate Commerce Com mission would subject our business to the control of the Hartwell Tug Trust. which trust Is outside and independent of its Jurisdiction? In view of past decisions, think not. The Interstate Commerce Commission, in case where 1t was contended that a com bination had been formed between steamboats on the Mississippi river, between St. Louis and vicksburg and the Alabama and Vicksburg Railway Company, from Vicksburg to Meridian, railroad entirely within the Jurisdic- ton of the state of Mississippi decided that 1t was combination outside the Jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission and therefore 1t could not give the Mobile and Ohio Railroad any relief against this combination. How ever the commission allowed the Mo- bile and Ohio Railroad company to change its rates from all points in the West to Meridian without inter- fering with It's rates to intermediate points between Meridian and the West ern markets, for the purpose of meet ing the competition of this combtna- ton outside of the Jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission. The combination suggested here in Mo bile between the Hartwell Tug Trust and the Turner-Hartwell Docks Company, would have about the same effect. To compel the Mobile and Ohio and South ern Railway companies to absorb Athe s2 switching charge and the $3 or "A wharfage charges on each car, would create entirely new condi- tions in the handling of business through the port of Mobile, and in view of the struggle we have had to attract business through this port, we believe that it would result In eventu- ally driving the export business to rival ports.
 "The Louisville and Nashville Is the only line entering Pensacola and 1t owns It's own wharves there, so that all the business moving through Pen sacola goes through without switching charges or wharfage fees, only hav- ing to pay the. railroad rate to Pen sacola, which Is the same as it is to Mobile. Pensacola is ths direct and immediate rival of the port of Mobile and all business moving through this port must be kept upon an absolute parity with the business moving through Pensacola"