New-York tribune., 1912-07-15
COMMISSION DIRECTS
DEEP EXPRESS CUTS
Continued from first page

cent, TO about 10 cents a pound. The
latter. according to the conclusions Of
the commission. is approximately the
highest rate a pound for the greatest
distance possible for a parcel to be car
ried wholly within the United States. ex-
elusive Of Alaska.
Packages weighing two pounds, for
instance, may be shipped 1000 miles
New York City to Chicago-for "a cents,
and 1000 miles-New York City TO Den
ver-for 81 cents. the present rates be-
ing for each 3j cents A three pound
package will cost - cents for 1000 miles
and 81 cents for 1000 miles, the exist
ing rates being each As cents. A ten
pound package may be transported 1000
miles for AZ cents and 1000 miles for II
cents, as against the existing rates OF IS
cents and 81 25. respectively. The cost
of transporting a twenty y-five-p pound
package 1000 miles will be rs cents,
against the present rate of 81 10, and for
2. 900 miles 81 81 against the present rate
of s22
Commissioner Lane believes the meth
cd adopted for the computation and con-
struction Of express rates Is scientific
and will result in the exaction OF entire
" reasonable charges. Through the de-
cision announced to-day rates are made
that are expected to open an avenue OF
trade between the producer OF food COM
modties and the consumer by distriout-
ing 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 Com
missioner Lanes decision the small
package will bear no greater share, per
pound. of the cost Of transportation than
the heavy package. and every package
weighing less than 100 pounds will bear
the same amount Of terminal expense.
Burden UnevenIy Distributed.
The charges Of the express companies
are now in many instances the same for
10 pounds as for 100 pounds between
the same points. and i'm some instances
they are as much for 80 pounds as for
100 pounds. Under such system the
householder is compelled to pay as much
for a 1o-pound package as dealer
would pay for a 2j-pound package and
three or four times as much as the
dealer would pay for ten pounds included
in 10o-pound shipment.
Commissioner Lane expresses the be-
lief that the system proposed will make
practicable the opening Of direct avenues
Of trade between the farm and the city
household He also believes that while
the reduction Of the rates on the lighter
weight parcels will average between 90
and 80 per cent. the express companies
themselves will be the benehcisrles of
largely increased business in the hand
ling Of small parcels.
The report shows that more than 800,
OO0, 600 parcels are handled annually by
the express companies in the United
States The average household Of Eve
persons In this country either sends or
receives by express in the course Of 4
year from eight 10 ten packages. The
average weight Of these packages is
thirty-four pounds; the average express
charge is 20 cents and the average haul
is two hundred miles. It appears that a
very small proportion Of the express
trafic results from direct shipments
from the farm n the city home.
II
Commissioner Lane carried his lnvcstiga-
tons into the express business OF several
European countries In those countries
where the parcels post system has devel-
oped trafic in small packages the lighter
weight packages were found 10 prcdom'-
nate II was indicated that I'm foreign
countries the householder received f,w
parcels Weighing more than ten pounds per
shipment. The commission believes that In
the United States the express traffic In
food commodities is chiefly between the
producer and the commission merchant ard
that the rates appear TO have been con-
structed with a view 10 fostering ard en-
couraGing the growth Of that traffic at the
expense Of the light package traffic.
The investigators have devoted a year
10 the constructive work Of reforming the
bases Of express rates, Of devisng simpler
and more easily understood means Of stat
ing those rates and Of preparing new rules
for the government Of carriers OF express
traffic.
Expects Better Service.
OF foremost importance is the require
ment that all the express companies shall
join in the establishment OF through routes
by the quickest lines Of communication be