Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-15
oTArH RAILROAD COMMISSION
TAKES FIRST STEPS TOWARD
NEW CLASSIFICATION.
RATES TO AND FROM WEST
DISCRIMINATORY TO IOWA
Letter Addressed to Iowa Lines Asks
settlement Thru Confsrenes-Onlsss
Agreement Can Be Effected Case
Will Go to Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, July 15.-The Iowa
state board of railroad commissioners
is tust now taking the first steps in
another interstate case Of far-reach-
ting Importance to Iowa industries. The
commission sent letters to the repre-
SentattvaS Of all the principal Iowa
Chicago railways inviting them to
conference in the offices of the com
mission next Wednesday relative to
this matter.
Next week the commission will fi!e
with the interstate commerce COM
mission a brief in the cases now pend
ing before the interstate commerce
commission relative to rates to and
from thpt east. The new case just be-
ing started concerns the rates TO and
from the west.
It In equally essential to the build
ing up Of Iowa factories and jobbins
centers that they shall be on parity
with St. Louis. Kansas City and neigh
boring places in other states on out
bound rates to the western half of the
United States and applying to all man
ufactured or finished products, as il
is that We shall be on a parity with
these game cities on our inbound
rates from the east. The letter ad-
dressed to the railway companies was
in part as follows.
Letter to Railway Companies.
The iowa state board Of railroad
comm iasioners has just completed a
somewhat exhaustive investigation OF
the rates from Iowa points to and
from points west of the Missouri river
to the Pacific coast, excluding points
on the Pacific coast. We find that in
practically all of this territory you are
compelling Iowa shippers to pay rates
either as high as the Mississippi river
rates or the Missouri river rates plus
locals into Iowa points; while those
interior points taking Mississippi river
rates ON traffic to and from the west
have rates that are very much higher
than Mississippi river rates on traffic
to and h>m the east The same is
true a. TO points taking Missouri river
rates. And the same is true proper
1ionatefy to and from practically all
other Iowa points.
The result Of the rate adjustment
as DESCRIBED above is that hardly an
article can be shipped from the east
to an interior iowa point, and then re-
shipped TO these western points, or
from the west to the east, on parity
with Kansas City, st. Louis. St Paul
or Chicago. In order that this situa-
ton may be more clearly presented,
few concrete illustrations will be
given:
Discrimination Against Iowa.
ION a shipment Of a carload Of au-
tonnobiles from Buffalo, n. Y, to Ma
son City the rate is 4s1a cents higher
than to St. Louis or Quincy. but when
these automobiles are jobbed out OF
Mason City either in carload or less
than carload quantities, the rate Is the
same or higher than from St Louis or
Quincy to Denver, Colo; Butte, Mont:
Spokane. Wash: Salt Lake City and
ogden, Utah; Cheyenne, Wyo.: Wich-
ita, Kan, or any other points in ~
per cent Of the territory west Of the
Missouri river. IN each Of these com
PARSONS the car would originate at
the same point, be destined to the
same point. and the service would be
identically the same except that in one
it IS unloaded at st. Louis or Quincy
and In the other unloaded at Mason
City and then reloaded for the west.
The combined mileage from New York
to Denver via st. Louis is practically
the same as via Mason City.
ION a carliod Of $4,000 pounds OF
automobiles jobbed at Mason City the
combined rate is more than 5000 great
er than II It was jobbed out of St.
Louis to any point in all thi. western
territory. It would also be between
$3.50 and 5000 greater than il jopoeo
cut of Peoria or out of Chicago.
"There would be an advantage OF
about 5000 on a carload Of trunks out
Of Pittsburgh or Cleveland. shipped TO
ST. Louis instead of Marshalltown. and
reshipped to Denver.
"St. Louis would have an ad-
vantage over Osceola of s175 on car
load Of hardware shipped from Pitts
h,,rgh and destined ultimately to Salt
Lake City
Rsgrouping Of Rates Necessary.
s.In order to place Iowa points on
parity with cities in other states. it
will be necessary to make complete
rezrouping of the rates to and from
interior Iowa points. 1t your COM
pany Is willing to seriosly noertake
the task Of making this regrouping so
that the groups on traffic to and from
the west shall correspond suostan-
tally to the groups on traffic to and
from the east. we shall be glad to CO.
operate with you and other companies
and avoid a case before the interstate
commerce commission
.'rhis action Is taken In accordance
with the provision of section 2120-a OF
the supplement to the code. There is
no occasion for needlessly consuming
tine by Iong-drawn-out negotiations
and we would very much prefer
frank statement from you whether OF
not you would think it advisable te
proceed at once before the interstate
commerce commission or 70 attempt
TO make an amicable adjustment Of
: these rates.
..For the purpose Of reaching a con-
clusicn In regard to this matter l an
authorized by the commission to invite
YOU to a conference In our Office on thu
nth day Of July at 10 a. m. to NEE
with the members Of the commission
ana Judge Henderson, commerce coun
rel Of Iowa.
I'VE would like to have you tax
this up at once with the proper OF
flciais Of your company 30 that definit
Information Of Q reliable character cal
10 learned without delay"
scseaAor lewan Dependent On RaAee,
= Grsat deaf has been said durinl