Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-01
COMPARISON OF RATES,
PROBING OF ACCOUNTS
Purpose Is to Determine Whether
There Is Unjust Discrimination.
ORDER FOLLOWS COMPLAINTS
Anticipating Action, All Express
Carriers But One File With COM
mission Schedules of Re
duced Charges.

A sweeping investigation of all of the
express companies In the United States
affected by the interstate commerce laws
today was ordered by the interstate COM
merce commission its own motion.
Evidently in anticipation of this action
BY the commission, practically all of the
express companies. with the exception Of
the Long Island. late yesterday after
noon filed new tariffs which are believed
to be material reductions in rates. II
was said today that 1t would require sew
eral months to compare these rates with
those now In existence.
II also was announced that the fling of
the new rates would not affect the pro /.
posed investigation in any way. This in
vestigation will be one of the widest in
scope ever undertaken by the commission,
and not only will be conducted as to
rates. but will include the practices. ac-
counts and revenues of the various COM
panies.
Petition Filed Year Ago.
More than year ago number OF
the leading commercial organizations
of the country petitioned the commits
sion for a general investigation into
the rates and methods of the express
companies The commission has been
considering this in connection with
various cases brought against indi-
vidual companies.
In it's order today the commission
says that complaints have been made
against the express companies that
their rates, class:hcations, ETC.. are In
violation of the interstate commerce
act.
Tie inquiry is ordered "to determine
whether such rates. classifications, reg
ulations or practices or any of them
are unjust or unreasonable. or un-
Justly discriminatory, or unduly prefer
ential or prejudicial. or otherwise In
violation of any of the provisions of
said act. and to determine the manner
and method in which the business of
said express companies and each of
them is conducted
List of Defendant Companies.
The following carriers arc named as
parties defendant in the proceeding:
Adams Express Company, American
Express Company. Borough Express
Company. Boston and Worcester Les
patch. Canadian Express Company,
Canadian Northern Express Company,
Dart & Co.'S Express. Davenport & Ma
sons Express, Dodd & Child's Express
Company, Dunlap's Express Company.
Earl & Prew's Express, Globe Express
Company, Great Northern Express
Company, Knickerbocker Express
Company. Manhattan Delivery Com
pany. Morris European and American
Express Company. National Express
Company. New England Despatch
Company, New England Express Com
panE, New York and Boston Despatch
Express Company Northern Express
Company. Pacific Express Company.
Southern Express Company. United
& Co. Wescott Express Company.
Western Express Company. "and also
the natural persons above named and
each of them who are engaged in such
express business under the above
name"
Combination Rates Reduced.
The reductions in express rates filed
yesterday are said 10 be important only
so far as they affect what are known
technically as combination Tates-that is,
instances in which shipments are made
by two companies TO a final destination.
Express combination rates long have
been figured on graduated scale OF
weights based upon 100 pounds. IL the
rate hundred pound Package is ST.
for instance. by the Adams Express Conn
pany TO a junction with the United States
Express Company and 81 from that juno
tfon point to the shipments destination
the combined rate would be s. BY the
terms OF the proposed tariffs the COM
bined rate would be 81. 6O-a reduction Of
15 per cent
BY reason OF varying distances and
varying weights OF shipments the per-
centage of the reduction also varies be-
tween points OF origin and points of des-
tination, but the average reduction on
combination of graduated rates is ap-
proximatey IL per cent. So far. the ex-
animation Of the new tariffs filed with
the commission discioses no reductions in
straight rates by single companies ex-
cept in isolated instances where manifest
done.
Effective August l.
The proposed tariffs. which arc 10 be-
come effective August l. will be included
IN the inquiry instituted today by the
commission. Because of the fact that
they reductions. no effort probably
will be made to suspend the proposed
combination rates but II the inquiry
Should show that the reductions are not,
in the opinion of the commission. sum-
cient TO meet tthe requirements of ex-
press commerce. they undoubtedly will
be further reduced.