Bisbee daily review., 1912-07-16
PLANS SWEEPING
REDUCTION IN
EXPRESS CHARGES
Interstate Commerce Board
Report Cuts Existing
Charges Is Per Cent;
Drastic Reforms

WASHINGTON, July sweeping
reductions in express rates averaging,
in general approximately Is per cent:
drastic reforms in regulations and
practices; and comprehensive changes
in the methods OF operation, are pre-
scribed in a report made public today
by the interstate Commerce commits
sion of its investigation into the bus
mess OF the thirteen great express
companies Of the United States
Dealing with the identity OF inter
est between the various companies.
the report finds that while these com
panies are separate legal entities, lit
is OF interest to regard this fact that
by stock ownership aud otherwise
they are so inteTlaced, intert wined,
and interlocked that il is with Difficult
~ we can trace any one Of the greater
companies as either wholly independ-
ent in its management or the agency
OF a single railroad system. So that
while these companies operate sepa-
rately and compete with each other
for traffic. the express business may
be said TO be almost a family affair
An interesting genealogical tree in
net, might be drawn showing a com
mon ancestry in all OF the larger COM
panies. And while many names may
be used 10 designate these companies,
il is within the fact to say that aside
from the operation of the minor and
distinctiyely railroad express COM
panies, the express business of the
United States is managed by not more
than three groups o Interests
The inquiry was the most extensive,
and. in wealth of infinite detail, prob
ably the most thorough. ever prose
cuted by the commission. II was con-
Quoted and the report was prepared
by Commissioner Franklin X. Lane II
has been in progress for nearly three
years. The report itself makes Geo
printed pages. II involved an exami-
nation and comparison of practically
more than 500 600. coo express rates in
effect in this country. N addition 10
an examination OF millions of way
bills and an investigation. through the
looks Of the companies. Of their finan-
cial operations and business methods
Commissioner Lane is of opinion
that the conclusions reached constl-
tute a long step towards the solution
of that gravest problem Of the Ameri-
can householder, the high cost OF liy-
ing
The greatest reduction Of rates pro
posed is on small packages-that is
on parcels which weigh less than y
pounds. Rates on packages Of more
than Il pounds. were found TO be more
reasonable than those on smaller par
GELS.
Briefly stated the new rates may
be said 10 be based upon a minimum
charge of p cents for a one pound
package. This charge increases in IA
ito to the increase Of weight and dis
lance at rates varying from three
tenth Of a cent a pound to about Il
cents a pound Twelve cents pound,
according to the conclusions OF the
commission. is approximately the
highest rate per pound for the great
est distance possible for a parcel to
be carried wholly within the United
States, exclusive Of Alaska.
Packages weighing two pounds, for
instance. may be shipped 1,9Oo miles
New York City to ChiCago-for p
cents: and 1000 miles-New York
CITY to Denver--fOr 81 cents, the
present rates being respectively, for
each 81 cents. A three pound package
will cost q cents for 1000 miles and
81 cents for 1000 miles. the existing
rates being. respectively. each A.
cents a ten pound package may be
Transported 1000 miles Off ~ cents
and 1000 miles for Y cents. as
against the existing rates Of as cents
and s125, respectively The cost of
Transporting a twenty FIVE pound pack
age 1000 miles viii be 10 cents.
against the present rate Of $1.1O. and
for 2. 900 miles. S16A against the pres
ent rate of 1925.
The charges OF the express compan-
les. now in MANY instances, are the
same for 80 pounds as for 100 hounds,
between the same points; and in some
instances they are as much for 30
pounds as for 100 pounds.
Commissioner Lane carried his in
vestigations into the express business
OF several European countries In
those countries where the parcels
post system has developed traffic in
small packages. the lighter weight
packages were found 10 predominant.
II was indicated that in foreign coun-
tries, the householder received few
parcels weighing more than 10 pounds
per shipment The commission be
lieves that in the United States the
express traffic in food commodities is
chiefly between the producer and the
commission merchant. and that tho
rates appear to have ben constructed
with view TO fostering and encorr-
aging the growth OF that traffic Al
the expense Of the light weight pack
age traffic.
or foremost importance is the re
quirement that all OF the express com
panies shall join in the establishment
of through routes by the quickest
lines OF communication between all
express Offices and shall publish