The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-11-21
recommended that the conduit be only
large enough for this head.
NEW FREIGHT BILL
PUZZLES SHIPPERS

The initiative freight bill passed at
the general election is a puzzle TO ship
pers as well as railroadmen. Chas. I.
Early, general superintendent of the
Mount Hood K. X. Co., who has been
in Portland this week confering with
other railroad men and making a study
of the entangled measures of the bill
says:
"You will still have TO class me with
those who do not understand the initi-
ative freight bill, even though | have
given it some little attention.
1T seems to be conceded by those
most cOnversant with the measure,
that it wipes out all commodity rates,
putting everything on classification
basis and under the rules of The
Western Classification Committee. ,
These may be revised any time-in
fact, there is already another issue out
effective January ! 4, 1918, so rates
that are made now will be changed
again, or many of them on that date.
Some of our rates are lowered and 9TH
ers are raised. Apple rate from Van
Horn is higher and a trife lower at
Odell. From some points, viz: the
Upper Valley, it would appear that the
wood rate is raised to what | would
call prohibitive. Present rate of 81. rs
per cord is, ! think under this bill,
Sl92, an advance of 81 cents.
This on dry fir. If the wood is
green, the advance will be from SIPS
to Sl.70 per cord above rates in effect
at this time, and of course such adj
vances will stop the movement of this
product, thereby taking about all the
revenue we have from there. Oak
wood will also take higher rate than
FIR, which IS contrary to past custom.
Commodity rates | would say have
been great factor in the development
of the country. | talked with a gentle
man few days ago identified with one
of the small roads of the State, who
gave me the following interesting fig
ures on his line.
Present log rate, 81 per NJ, raised
to S4. 95 per NJ present lumber rate 81,
raised to ". 10; present wood rate, $50
per cord, raised to 81. 36 per cord.
There were also a number of small
mills on this line and il is easily seen
what could hi ppen to them-close down
VI NOuiHts 81 ~ SUuWo lldlIlN ludl
everyone connected with rate making
must figure them out on proper basis
and not get anything into effect like
the above, which would put the rail
road out of business, as :well as tie
shipper.
81 have understood wheat rates are
raised tremendously in many cases and
it may be that these are from points
that it will be impossible to haul from,
other than by rail. We are most inter.
ested, of course, in the effect it will
have here, but appreciate that there
are other sections Of Oregon in which
people live and do business.
There are great many people VIII
voted for this bill that dare say vii
regret it very much, perhaps, in tn
future. This will teach them to us
more care.
"You ask what | think of this bill
For the present, | would prefer not t
say. ! have no hesitancy, however, i
saying that do not think a Law that i
confscatory will hold, and from m,
point of view it does not matte
whether it is too high or too low. Tn,
business of a railroad could be runet
in either case.