Norwich bulletin., 1912-07-15
A Reduction of
 Express Rates
PRESCRIBED BY INTERSTATE
 COMMERCE COMMISSION
INVESTIGATION HELD
Shippers Now Pay as Much For 50 Pounds as For 100 Pounds-Wesht and Distance to be Considered.

and Distance to be Considered.
 Washington. July 14.-Sweeping re- auctions in express rates, averaging in general approximately 1b per cent, drastic reforms in regulations and and comprehensive changes in the methods of operation are pre- scribed in a report made public today by the interstate commerce commls- sion of it's investigation into the busi ness of the thirteen great express companies of the United States.
 Express Business a Family Affair,
 Dealing with the identity of interest between the various companies, the report finds that while these comps- nies are separate legal entities, Tt Is of interest to regard this fact that by stock ownership and otherwise they are so interlaced intertwined and in- terlocked that 1t is with difficulty we can trace any one of the greater com panies as either wholly independent in It's management or the agency of a single railroad system. So that while these companies operate separately and compete with each other for traf- fic, the express business may be said to be almost a family affair. An in teresting genealogical tree, in fact, might be drawn showing a common ancestry in all of the larger compa- nies. And while many names may be used to designate these companies, it is within the fact to say that aside from the operations of the minor and distinctively railroad express oompa- nies, the express business of the United States is managed by not more than three groups of interests"
 Greatest Reduction on Small Packages
 Commissioner Lane is of opinion that the conclusions reached consti- ute a long step towards the solution of that gravest problem of the Ameri- can householder, the high cost of liv- ing.
 The greatest reduction of rates pro- posed is on small paekages-tnat is, on parcels which weigh less than 12 pounds. Rates on packages of more | than 12 pounds were found to be more reasonable than those on smaller par cells.
 Briefly stated. the new rates may be said to be based upon a minimum 1 charge of 21 cents for a one pound package This charge increases in ratio to the increase of weight and distance, at rates varying from three tenths of g. cent a pound to about l3 cents a pound. Twelve cents a pound, according to tho conclusions of the commission, Is approximately the high est rate per pound for the greatest dis-
 tance possible for a parcel Co be car ried wholly within the United States, exclusive of Alaska.
 Present Rates lnequitsbe.
 Packages weighing two pounds. for
 instance, may be shipped 1000 miles
 New York city to Chicago-for 24
 cents: and 1000 miles-New York city
 to Denver-for 31 cents, the present
 rates being respectively for each S5
 cents. A three pound package will
 cost 27 cents for 1000 miles and 37
 cents for 2,O00 miles, the existing rates
 being respectively each 45 cents. A ten pound package may be transported i 900 miles for 42 cents and 2,000 miles
 for IT cents, as against the existing rates of 75 cents and s1.25 respective
 ly. The cost of transporting a 25- pound package ,0oO miles will be 7a cents, against the present rate of s1.i0 and for 2,OO0 miles SL54, against the
 present rate of S2.25.
 The charges of the express compa- nies now in many instances are the l same for SO pounds ss for 100 pounds
  l instances they are as much for sl 8 pounds as for 100 pounds. Under Huci
 a system the householder is compelled
 to pay as much for a 10 pound packag' ' as a dealer would pay for a 25 pount K package, and three or four times ai | much as the dealer would pay for Il s pounds included in a 100 pound ship II ment.
 Conmi ssioner Lane expresses th belief that the system proposed VII i' make practicable the opening of direc
 avenues of trade between the farm an
 the city household He likewise Is a . opinion hat while the reduction of th To rates on the lighter weight parcel
 will average between 20 and 90 pc ;. cent, the express companies them selves will be the benehciarles Of . largely increased business in th v handling of small parcels.
 e Rates Become Effective in Fall.
 While there has been an almost mi
 form reduction in charges upon par # cells weighing 30 pounds or less. th - rates on packages weighing more tha l. 50 pounds have not been material ,e reduced. Tn some instances the con ,r missions proposed rate basis shows
 slight in srease of the charges on heay
 packages. This indicates the belief 5. the commission that the rates of tf sr express companies per 100 pounds al IS not. on the whole, seriously excessive, 1t By the terms of the commission r, order the changes in the regulation
 methods and practices of the expre
 companies; the reclRssifcation of e' is press matter; the changes In the bil D. ing of packages and other admin t. trative reforms are required to be p 5e into effect practically immediately. Tl ly rates proposed, however will not b D. come effective before some time ne
 autumn. The commission has fix
 Oct. as the date for the beginning s' a hearing of the representatives of e le press companies and shippers as r. why the rates prescribed by the cor L.... -L. .-A