Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-26
DECISION OF COMMERCE COMMITS
SION IN SINCLAIR CASE AT.
FEcTs LOCAL CONCERN.
COMMISSION RULES AGAINST
RAILROADS ON MEAT RATES
Orders Roads to EquaIize Rates on
Meats From Cedar Rapids to Allan
tic Seaboard With Those on Same
Commodities From Missouri River
Points or Chicago.

Britain & Co., of this CITY, will prof
directly thru decision OF the inter.
state commerce commission, in the
matter of an adjustment of freish
rates on meats in the case Of the L
NJ. Sinclair & Sons, of Cedar Rapids
against the Chica go, Milwaukee & st
Paul and other railroads, as told in :
1ispatch from the Washington CORE
spondent OF the T.-R. published or
page .. This decision, which is vic
tory for the Cedar Rapids packers, is
Of much Importance to not only the 10
cal packing company. but all interior
packers of Iowa, as we'll as stock feed
ers and shippers.
The decision. in effect, orders the de-
PENDANT railroad companies to equalize
the rates on meats from Cedar Rapids
10 Atlantic seaboard points. with the
rates on the same ommodities from
Missouri river points-Omaha, Sioux
City, and Kansas City-to the Atlantic
Eeaboard.
Profits with Sinclair.
The local packing company will pro-
AT with the Cedar Rapids packer in the
readjustment, because rates from this
city to New York ard Boston are very
nearly the same as from Cedar Rapids
TO the Atlantic cities. In adjusting the
Cedar Rapids to New York and Bos-
ton tariffs, as ordered to do, the
railroad com panies will also have to
adjust the same tariffs from this city
20 New York and Boston. All railroads
handling such business will be affected
as the tariffs are the same on all lines
handling meat shipments originating
at the Missouri river or Iowa points.
Proportionate Rate Too High.
While the question of the difference
IN rates between cured meat in bulk
and cured meat in boxes. bags and
crates is involved, the chief point OF
contention on the part of the Cedar
Rapids packer was that the rate from
that city to the Atlantic coast cities
was higher proportionately than was
the rate on the same commodities from
Missouri river points. Put another
way, while the packers OF Sioux City,
Kansas City. and Omaha. in shipping
meats to New York and Boston had 20
pay a higher rate than did the Cedar
Rapids packer for shipments to the
same eastern cities, yet the rate was
rot proportionately high enough con-
siderirg the longer haul from the Mis-
souri, river than from Cedar Rapids. In
other words the Sinclair compa ny
claimed it was paying more proper
tionately for carrying its meat than
was the Omaha, Sioux City, and Kan
sas City packers.
Intermediate Rates Higher.
The reason for this is that Chicago,
the Mississippi river and the Mssou ri
river are what are called ''basing'
points for the division Of freight tar
IFS from and to points east of Chca-
30. The rates from these basirg points
are proportionately much lower than
they are at intermediate points. such
as interior Iowa points. Packers at
these "basing' points are favored with
proportionate lower rates than those
at Intermediate points because they
ship from the "basing" point. The
complaints OF shippers at intermediate
points being Disseminated against in
favor Of those at "basns'' points has
been Of years standing, not only with
the packers but with other large
shippers.