The Marshall republican., 1911-11-02
OUT ON THE CARPET
EXPRESS Carriers Subject Of a
General Investigation.
Commission viii Make Inquiry 40 10
ReasonabIeness Of Rates Which
Petitioners Declare Are I
Too High.

WnSnlngton.-A thorough investiga.
ton oil all the express companies In
the United States affected by the
Interstate commerce laws has been
ordered by the interstate commerce.
commission OIL its own motion.
Evidently In anticipation Of this
action by the commission, practically
all the express companies, with the
exception Of one. filed new tarifs
which are believed to be material re-
auctions In rates. It was said that II
would require several months to com.
pare these rates with those now In
existence. II also was announced that
the filing Of the new rates would not
Affect the proposed Investigation in
any way.
More than a year ago a 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. and In It's recent order
the commission says that the inquiry
is ordered ito determine whether
such rates. c~lassifcatiops, regula.
tons. or practices. or any OF them,
are unjust Of unreasonable. or un-
Justly discriminatory. or unduiy pref.
erential, or prejudiciai, or otherwise
In violation OF the provisions OF said
act. and to determine the manner
and method In which tho business of
said express companies and each Of
them IL conducted"
Tho following carriers are named
a. parties defendant In the proceed.
Ing: Adams Express company. Amer.
lean Express company. Borough Elk
press company. Boston a Worcester
Dispatch. Canadian Express com
pany, Canadian Northern Express
sompany. Dart & Co.'s Express. Dav
import q Mason's Express, Dodd &
Childs' Express company, Dunlap's
Express company. Earl q Prew's com
pany. Globe Express company, Great
Northern Express company. Knicker.
socker Express company. Manhattan
Delivery company. Morris European
and American Express company, Ma
uonal Express company, New Eng
land Dispatch company. New Eng.
land express company. New York q
Boston Dispatch Express company.
Northern Express company. Pacific
Express company. Southern Express
company. United States Express com
pany. Wells. Fargo a Co.. Westcott
company. Western Express company.
an also the natural persons above
osmed and each OF them who nre en-.
gagged In such express business under
the above names"
The reduced express rates filed are
said to be important only SO far as
they AFFECT what-sre known technical.
iy as combination rates-that In. In.
stances In which shipments are made
by two companies to n final destina.
ton. Express combination rates long
have been figured on n graduated
scale OF weights based on 100 pounds
u the rate on a i00.pound package
10 one dollar. for instance. by the
Adams Express company. To a lure.
ton point with the United States p.
press company. and one dollar from
that junction point to the shipment
N"sSas sht tohbiucu rate WOulb |
be 81. BY the terms OF the proposed
tariffs the combined rate would DO
t1.6O. ,t.H y
by reason OF varying distances and
varying weights Of shipments. the per !
cenlage OF the reduction also varies
between points OF origin and points
OF destination. but the average re
duction on combinations OF graduated
rates Is approximately II per cent
30 far the examination OF the new
tariffs fled with the commission dis,
closed no reductions In straight rates
by single companies. except In in
stances where manifest Injustice an,
psrentiy heretofore has been done.
The proposed tariffs win be In
cluded In the inquiry instituted by
the commission. II the inquiry should
show that the reductions are not. In
the opinion OF the commission, SUN,
client to meet the requirements OF ex.
press commerce. they undoubtedly |
Will be further reduced .llA