New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-23
EXPRESS INQUIRY BEGINS
Congressman Thinks Ownership
by Government the Solution.
BOSTON EXPERT TESTIFIES
Commerce Board Holds First
Hearing Into Complaints of
Excessive Rates.

An effort TO convince the Interstate Com
n1erce Commission that all the express
companies Of the country are charging ex-
-essive rates 10 shippers and the public
generally was made Yesterday AT the first
u a series OF hearings 10 be held in vari-
Gus cities. The hearing was held by Frank
lin X. Lane. Interstate Commerce Commits
siouer In the quarters Of the Merchants
Association, at No. .; Lafayette street.
The investigation was started owing 10 the
complaints Of moro than two hundred lead
ing business concerns and many individ-
uals doing business with the express COM
panies
BENJAMIN l.. Fairchild and John w.
Griggs are chief counsel for the complain
ants and Walter u. Hines is chief counsel
for the defendants The larger express
companies are each represented by its
own counsel
In opening the hearing Commissioner
Lane said.
THE Interstate Commerce Commission
has called the present inquiry, acting on
its own motion. in order to determine
whether the acts Of the express companies
arc such as should come under its regula-
ton"
n. Q. Ives. of Boston. manager Of the
transportation department OF the Boston
chamber Of Commerce was the only wit
moss al the first session. He told Of his
experience In the transportation business
and explained that he had made an eXami-
nation OF express statistics. on which he
based the conclusions in his testimony.
Mr. Ives said me objected TO the express
receipt forms. with the limitations Of eX-
press company liability that they imposed.
Also he thought that the time limit Of
ninety DAYS printed on the express receipt,
I'm which the consignee was allowed 10 en-
ter complaint I'm case Of failure to de-
liver the consignment. ought to be con-
sideraby extended.
At the afternoon session Frank Lyon,
counsel for the commission. placed on
record a set OF tables presenting the sta
tistics Of the operations OF the express
companies in the United states during
the last three fiscal years.
According 10 these figures. tho total net
operating income Of the companies i'm 1911
ran something over S10.OOO,00O on an esti-
mated plant valuation Of $4,000 600. a
ratio OF over IS per cent. The income had
fallen and the plant cost increased since
1909, when the ratio was over 81 per
cent
According to the figures. tho express
business in 1911 was conducted on over
10000 miles of railroad. at 3l.@2S sta
lions
Representative David j. Lewis. Of Cum-
nerlsnd, Md. said he had abandoned the
ides that the parcels post would give
the required relief from express coudi-
lions and now believed that ultimate gov
eminent ownership was the only logical
way Of solving the problem.
After pointing ont the enormous profits
made hv the express companies, Mr. Lewis
said he favored q radical revision all
along the line I'm summing MP he recon-
nended. among other things. charge NJ
cents for the first pound graduated 10 -
cents for eleven pounds with a general
reduction Of IS per cent on greater
weights. making the rate for fast freight
cypress about one.hfth OF present express
rates. lie also favored extension Of ser
vice 70 country and suburban points thus
,reaune a new industry Of the sub
urban gardener-and cheapening, by i'm
proved transportation. the retail cost Of
truckers produce BY making rural de.
livery self-sustaininc. he said. shout
10000, 900 would become available 10 &C.
~ 90 mn