The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-15

between cities Supplementing this block system of making rates which constitutes each block a zone of origin or or destlna- ton the rates are stated for each pack age weighing from 1 to 1V pounds The express companies will be required to publish a directory of express stations which will show the block number with
 in which each station Is located, and at each station there will be filed single sheet tariff which will give the rate from that station to all other blocks in the United States.
 To illustrate: New York City is To- cated in block S52. Some 20 other towns and villages are included in that same block Chicago is located in block S3S, which also contains a score or more of cities and towns. shipper In New York wishing to send a package to Chi cago will learn from the directory the block in which Chicago is situated. Then, turning to the single tariff sheet he will ascertain the number of the scale of rates which applies upon all packages between block 952 and block sos.
 This method of stating rates, the re- port claims will avoid the great body of complaints arising out of undercharges and overcharges, the present method of stating rates being 50 confusing that not even the express agents are able to discover the lawful rate between two points. The directory of express sta tons Is also to state the delivery limits in each city within which the express company gives service upon it's tariff rates.
 Labels Changed
 It is found that the large number of double collections of express charges arises out of the fact that a package which has been prepaid does not bear SIIffciapt pNidanra of tbis fact ApCDrd- ingly the report presents set of labels and way bills in different colors which the carriers are required to use. and in the event that the package does not bear any label the shipment is to be delivere to the consignee without collection of any charges. the carrier bearing the bur den of discovering where the mistake lies.
 The present system requires the state ment of about 200 times as many rates as the system proposed by the commits sion. However, as eacn agent, under the new system will be obliged to know only the rates that apply between his station and each of the other blocks. he will have to consult only $50 rates to find the proper charge from his station to every other station within the United States.
 | Through this system the common rate area on short hauls is reduced from an area of about 3500 square miles, which 1 Is the average area of each main block to an area of about 1S0 square miles. The present express rate methods embrace much larger common rate areas. | For instance, the rate, per hundred pounds, from Boston. New York, Phila- delphia, Baltimore, Washington and Rich
 mond to Seattle, Tacoma, Portland Sar i Francisco. San Diego, Reno, Sacramento and many other points embraced in the region west of the Sierra and Cascade I mountains is now the same, sl3.50. Under | the commssons system the rates wil
 vary with the distance between any two
 points, from s9.S5 to si1 a hundred pounds | While there has been an almost uni
 form reduction in charges upon parcels
 weighing 50 pounds or less. the rates or packages weighing more than 50 pounds have not been materially reduced. In
 some instances, the commissions pro- posed rate basis shows a slight increase iof the charges on heavy packages. This indicates the belief of the commission
 that the rates of the express companies per 100 pounds are not on the whole seriously excessive. This is particularly
 manifest from an analysis of the rates foi
 distances of 200 miles or less, which are
 scarcely distributed on the heavy weight | traffic.
 In Immediate Effect
 By the terms of the fcommission's order
 the changes in the regulations. methods and prrFtces of the express companies
 the re-. jfication of express matter l the chansj in tn chilling of packages and other administrative reforms are re
 tuired to be put into effect practically | immediately. The rates proposed, how
 ever, will not become effective befor,
 some time next autumn. The commission
 las fixed October as the date for tn,
 erinning of a hearing of the representa- tives of express companies and shipper. i to why the rates prescribed by ths | e- mission should not go into effect.