The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-10-10
EXPRESS CONCERNS
FIGHT ...-ou,IONce
appear Before Commerce
Commission Today and
Ask for the Old Rates.
National News Association)


WASHINGTON, Oct. 1O.-Attorneys
representing the American Express
Company, the Southern, Wells Fargo,
Adams, United States, Great Northern
and fifteen others, including the Cana
dian Express Company, and express
companies of Great Britain and France
doing an international business with
express companies III the United
States, appeared before the Interstate
Commerce Commission today and OPP
posed recent findings of the Commits
sion reducing express rates generally
throughout the United States
During the session of Congress,
when it was proposed by certain mem
bers to condemn express property and
put 1t under government control, eX-
press companies generally, it was I'M
derstood, would accept the findings of
the Commission. Much surprise was
occasioned when it was discovered
that certain companies were preparing
to fight the matter out in the courts.
Precedes An Appeal.
The arguments submitted today by
express attorneys was preliminary, it
is understood to an appeal to either
the Commerce Court or the United
States District Courts
1t is supposed by men familiar with
the express business that the express
companies determined to fight the re-
auctions by reason of the adoption by
Congress Of parcels post for pack
ages not exceeding eleven pounds in
n tn OIL
form the bulk of the package business
of the express companies.
A number of railroad attorneys also
were present. 1t is expected that the
decision to appeal the case, should the
Commission refuse to recede from it's
present position, will be backed up by
the railroads of the country, as they
will be hard hit. The railroads receive
payment from the express companies
on a revenue basis and curtailment
of charges naturally would result in a
reduction of the amount paid by the
companies to the railroads.
Interstate Commerce Commission.
The report of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, which has brought
this flock of corporation attorneys
about it's ears, was issued on July IA,
and is an exhaustive review of the
abuses the express companies have
been, and are, guilty of, the chief of
which is excessive charges. The Com
mission, therefore, orders general
reduction of charges all along the line,
which, in effect, would amount to an
average reduction of about Is per
cent.
The Vital Feature.
A vital feature of the Commission S
decision is the new system of fixing
rates. The Commission divides the
United States into blocks approximate
ly so miles square. Points within each
block are designated as common points
and the rates from all express stations
within the block are the same to any
other given block. This rate, thus fixed
apply to packages weighing from 1 to
100 pounds.
The commission directs the express
companies to provide for through
routes and rates on packages between
destinations anywhere in the United
States, thus doing away with the ex
cessive terminal charges.
While the decision of the Commits
sion revolutionizes the express bust
ness, the companies seem to take nc
exception to it's findings except the
reduction in rates.
The following is fair illustration
of the reduction ordered by the Com
mission:
The rate on packages weighing
nine pounds, between New York ant
Philadelphia was ordered reduced
from 35 cents to 20 cents. A package
of the same weight sent from New
York to Portland, Oregon, costs 81
cents. The Commission has ordered