The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-07
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Declines to Moderate
Decision on Rate Case.
q CONFERENCE HELD AT
NATIONAL CAPITAL
MagnateS of Official Classilica-
ton Territory Appear in Per
son to Plead Their Cause.

WASHINGTON, March 6.--Denial OF
the request of the railways of oiliciaI
classification territory that they be per
mitted voluntarily 10 suspend pro
posed advances in class freight rates
from March until November
next. was made by tho interstate com
mcrcc commission today. In the de
cisions announced in the great rate
cases ten days ago the commission di.
rccted thgt the proposed tariffs advanc'
ing rates be annulcd on or before
March 10. Ii this direction were not
followed, the commission announced
that on that date it would issue an
order recalling the rates and putting
into effect for nj least two years the
existing rates.
After 4 conference in New York
city last Friday an arrangement WAS
made for conference in this city be
tween eastern railroad officials and the
members of the commission.
Participating In the conference to.
day were President w. G. Brown and
General Solicitor Clyde Brown OF the
New York Central President James
McCrea and General Counsel +. l.
Gowen OF the Pennsylvania. President
Daniel Willard and General Counsel
Hugh g. Bond Of the Baltimore 4
Ohio, President Frederick Underwood
of The Erie. and Walker D. Hines, rep
resenting the Delaware & Hudson.
Claim Of the Railroads.
IL was suggested 10 the commission
that the carriers in official classifica
ton territory be permitted TO suspend
voluntarily tho tariffs proposing ad
vances from March Is until Notember
| next, IN order that they might have
opportunity 10 ascertain the general
result of this fiscal year S business
Their contention was that this year 5
business might show falling off of the
revenues of 1910. which would afford
them an opportunity again to ask the
commission 10 consider m advance in
rates. perhaps some time in the autumn.
when they would be enabled TO make
a better showing in support of the re
quest than they made in the recent
eases.
They desired also to ascertain
whether the record made in the recent
eases woald be available in any future
proceedings they might institute.
Denial of the request was made in a
letter to President Brown Of the New
York Central, written by Commi ssioner
Prouty on behalf of the commission.
uc lSllpE edNS'
Letter OF Mr.. Prouty.
'.Thc committee of which Won are
chairman requests that defendant car
rieTs in the eastern rate advance case.
number 3400 be allowed TO postpone
theI tariffs Of advanced rates until No
vcmber | next. instead of cancelling
the same. as now required by the com
mission.
"After considering the reasons
adduced in support of this request, those
members of the commission who are in
Washington arc unanimously of the
opinion that il must be denied. and
that we must adhere to the report,
which clearly states the attitude of this
body toward the future.
with respect to the suggestion that
III any future proceedings the present
record will not be available if these
tariffs are cancelled. il is proper TO oh.
serve that this proceedings was insti-
tuted by the commission. and that
the record is entirely subject to its
control. either with respect To further
proceedings on the same record or with
respect to new proceedings involving
the same issue. -
Tomorrow ut the New York Central
Offices in New York city general
meeting of eastern railway officials
viii he held, at which the participants
in today's conference will make their
report. 1t is probable that decision
Will be reached 10 cancel the proposed
advances in accordance with the di
rection Of the commission, and in the
light of developments let the future
take care of itself.