The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-15
BUSINESS
IS LAID OPEN
Continued from rage one.

continued from rage Oaes
financial operations and business
Commissioner Lane is Of the opin-
ion that the conclusions reached con-
stitute a long step towards the solu-
ton OF that gravest problem Of n
American householder, the high cost
OF living.
The greatest reduction of rates pro-
posed IS on small packages-that Ii on
parcels which weigh less than twelve
pounds. Rates on packages OF Q
than twelve pounds were found to be
more reasonable than those on small
er parcels.
Briefly stated the new rates may
be said to be based upon a mini
mum charge of 21 cents for a
In ratio to the increase OF weight and
distance, at rates varying from three
tenths of a cent a pound to about ~
cents a pound. Twelve cents a pound,
according TO the conclusions of the
commission, Is approximately the hfgh-
est rate e pound for the greatest dis
lance possible for a parcel TO be car
ried wholly within the United States.
exclusive OF Alaska.
Packages weighing two pounds, for
instance, may be shipped 1000 miles
New York to Chicago-for "a cents.
and 1000 miles-New York City to.
Denver-for 81 cents. A three-pound
package will cost 81 cents for 1000
miles and 81 cents for 1000 miles. the
existing rates being, respectively, each
As cents. A ten-pound package may
be transported 1000 miles for ~
cents and 1000 miles for "a cents, as
against the existing rates OF 75 cents
and S1.25, respectively. The cost OF
transporting a twenty-fiye-pound
package 1000 miles will be rs cents.
against the present rate Of $1.1O and
for 1000 miles, $1.64 against the pres
ent rate Of S2.25.
Commissioner Lane believes that the
method adopted for the computation
and construction Of express rates 10
scientific and will result in the ex-
action OF entirely reasonable charges.
Through the decision announced today
express rates are made that are X
pected to open an avenue of trade be-.
tween the producer OF food on
modities and the s by dis
tributing equitably to the weight and
distance the burden of the cost Of
transportation. At present that burden
is borne chiefly by the parcels of light
weight. BY Commissioner Lanes de-
cision, the small package viii bear
no greater share, per pound, OF the
cost of transportation than the heavy
package. and every package weigh
ing less than 100 pounds will bear the
same amount Of terminal expense.
The charges of the express compan-
les, now in many instances, are the
same for fifty pounds as for 100
pounds, between the same points; and
In some instances they are as much
for thirty pounds as for 100 pounds.
Under such a system the household
er Is compelled to pay as much for a
ten-pound package as a dealer would
pay for a twenty-hye-pound package.
and three or four times as much as
the dealer would pay for ten pounds
included in d 100-pound shipment.
Commissioner Lane expresses the
belief that the system proposed will
make practicable the opening OF di-
rect avenue OF trade between the
farm and the city household. He. like
wise, is of opinion that while the re-
duction Of the rates on the lighter
weight parcels will average between
20 and 30 per cent the express COM
panies themselves will be the bene-
ficiaries of a largely Increasing BUSH
ness in h handling Of small par
GELS.
The report shows that more than
3O0, 100000 parcels are handled annual
ly by the express companies in the
United States. The average house,
hold OF FIVE persons In this country
either sends or receives by express in
the course of year, from eight TO ten
packages. The average weight OF
these packages is thirty-four pounds
the average express charge is so
cents; and the average haul is 200
miles. 1t appears that a very small
proportion Of the express traffic OF
the country results from direct ship
ments from the farm to the city
home.