The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-26
COCHRANE' REPLY
 ID OAL|CEV|LLE. Request Made for Decrease
 in Rates GOES INTO DETAIL
Tells Commercial Club of Need for Cooperation Among All Inter- ests While Road Is Being
 Completed


 nessee and Northern railroad has written the following reply to the recent request made by citizens of this place for reduc- tions in certain rates:
 "June 21, 1911. MT. G. B. White, MT. D. H. Bowlin, MT.
 c. IT. corwin, Mr. W. G. Stringfellow
 and Others, care Aliceville Commer-
 cial Club, Aliceville, Ala:
 "Gentlemen-On my return I find your communication requesting reductions in rates on the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern railroad. I thank you for the kind expressions and congratulations with reference to my efforts in developing the terriotry along the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern, and feel that every thoughtful man does sincerely appreciate what has been accomplished and the good re suits that will come from the building of a railroad through territory that was previously without any railroad facilities.
 Answering your requests in the or der that they are made-First, you are evidently laborng under misapprehen- sion in assuming that there has been any advance or raise in freight rates that were in effect between stations on the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern prior to January 1, 1907. According to our rec ords, and I believe they are complete, there has been absolutely no increase in revenue earned by the Alabama, Tennes- see and Northern railroad, either in bus mess having origin within or without the state, and if there has been any in crease in through rates 1t was done at the instance of the connecting line for the benefit of the other lines, and we have not participated in any such increase, but m the con trsrv our policy has always been to vigorously protest against and prevent any increase wherever it was In our power in even the total rate, and on ali the new rates that have been made where we have been in position to have any influence in the matter we have not only fought for a reduction of the total rate. but we have sacrificed our own earnings to reduce the cost to the con sumer. and in many instances we are to- day accepting less revenue on all classes of freight than we would be allowed un- der the rules of the interstate commerce commission, and when all the rates are considered, including the fact that on the product of the country such as cot ton, cotton seed oil and products, hay and especially lumber, we are putting our own people in as good a position as If they were located on the main line of any of the larger systems in the territory; in fact on lumber we are even doing better for on part of our line we give 2-cent lower lumber rate than miles south of York, Ala, and Meridian. Miss, secure from the larger systems. in other words Meridian, Miss, with five rail- roads, has a higher rate of cents per hundred pounds to the markets on lumber than Aliceville and Carrollton, which have only one railroad, and we have 1the this to help the territory by reducing 3ur own revenue, and is a concession that I am sure you have not considered. AS to our inbound rates, we have recently, since making a connection at York, opened a much larger territory to all points on cur line. and made larger reductions in the total rates. I believe that in consid- ering this matter these things should be credited to us and that those of you who are willing, as I am, to cooperate for the upbuildng of the country will appre- ciate our efforts and keep us in position to work for better rates and facilities, which I hope to do as long as l have the sincere cooperation of the people I am trying to serve.
 "Second, in answering your request that the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern establish Southern Express company of fees on it's line, this Is a matter not en- tirely within our control. When the road was first constructed, if we had done as most short lines do, we would have esta blished a separate express business, but in our effort to upbud the country and furnish the best facilities we invited the Southern Express company to operate on our line, being willing to handle their business for cost, and even much less than cost, at first in the hope that when we grew to our present size our express business would increase proportionately. Our experience, however, is that our rev enue has not only failed to increase pro- as the line was extended and
  matter of record on our books the money we received for transporting express has decreased approximately until it fell below what we considered was much less than reasonable compensation. Though we appealed to the Southern Express company. showed them our actual receipts and asked only for reasonable compensa- ton, they stated they could not see their way to grant our request, and there was nothing left for us to do but what we are doing. This was simply a business dis agreement between two companies, and so far as I am concerned l should be glad to have any committee of your busi- ness men look over the records in the confident belief that they will agree that it was unreasonable to expect us to con- tinue operating with the Southern EN- nress company under the conditions.
 sThird in answering your request for a reduction in passenger rates, 1 assure you that it is my desire, not only To make rates but also service acceptable to our patrons but will ask you 10 con- slider both in dtermining what we sncuid charge. We are making no money from our point of view out of the passenger busi,iess When all of our rates are con- sidered I do not think it is unreasonable for an unfinished line, the most of which Is in the state of construction. to charge the rates we are charging, especially as the average rate is much less than 1t would appear. As you all know, our traf- fic department gives the reduced week end rates the half-fare sunday ratec ana every time we are requested to, or there are any reasons for our home people to move to special gatherings either on our