The Washington herald., 1913-10-01
Freight RATE
CASES GROUPED
Interstate Commerce Com
mission to Hear Com
plants as One.
RAILROAD FILES ANSWER
Sheffield and Tionesta Declares Ex.
isting Charges at Baltimore Not
Discriminatory.
RAILROAD FILES ANSWER

The Interstate Commerce Commission
Yesterday ordered that all complaints
filed with it by Washington merchants,
firms, and corporations, and by the
Chamber of Commerce and the Retail
Merchants Association against the al
legged excessive freight rates on shipments
to and from Washington maintained by
the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore and
Ohio and their connecting lines be con-
solidated into one case.
The commission will hear all of the
various complaints as one case. Because
the Judd & Detweiler case was the first
filed with the commission, all of the
others have been appended.
The complaint of o. J. De Moll & Co.
against the Pennsylvania and Baltimore
and Ohio railroads attacks the rates both
to and from Washington, and is to be
heard as a separate case. A number of
other merchants who filed similar COM
plants will appear as intervenors when
the case is heard by the commission.
Railway Files Answer.
The Sheffield and Tionesta Railway. the
first to answer the complaints, filed its
answer yesterday with the commission.
The railroads brief declares that the
present rates are not discriminatory in
so far as Baltimore is concerned. This
leaves the inference that this road may
possibly consider them SO from a WASH
ington standpoint
In the answer of the Shefield and
Tionesta, B. George, freight traffic mana
ger, states:
I'VE are parties to the above-men-
toned tariffs, but are not concerned in
the rates mentioned. as traffic from the
points mentioned by the petition would
not move over our line: neither are we
concerned in the rates as specified.
"As far as rates regarded by petitioners
as excessive and discriminatory. applying
on interstate traffic from Boston, New
York. and Philadelphia Pa, are con-
cerned. we regard such rates as just the
opposite of excessive and discriminating.
in so far as Baltimore, Md. is con-
cerned.
discrimination Would Follow.
"As. If store-door delivery was CON-
tinued, the rates carried Hereunder
would work discrimination and excessive
oppression TO other cities situated like
Baltimore and in practically the same
rate case"
The Montpelier and Wells River Rail-
road answered by denying that its class
rates were unjust, unreasonable or dis
Criminatory.
The New York Central and Hudson
River. as lessees Of the West Shore Rail-
road, and the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie
Railroad. made the same answer. as did
the Western Maryland. The Washington
Run Railroad Company said in its answer
simply that it would be governed by any
ruling the commission might make in the
premises.
cIrIIiIar answers we've ..>oIs Ls- r-aatI-
cally all the railroads to the complaint
OF the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association of Baltimore.
Hearing Is Necessary.
Although the time limit for the filing
of answers with the commission is near
an end nothing has been officially heard
from the Pennsylvania or the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroads. the principals in the
fight. Failure to file an answer with the
commission will not in any way affect
their case. The commission is powerless
to order a judgment by default as can
the courts.
The interstate commerce law provides
that no decision or judgment can be rem
dered without a hearing and due investi-
cation. Consequently there is no penalty
for failure to answer. The Pennsylvania
and Baltimore and Ohio have also failed
TO make answer to the complaint of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Associa-
ton Of Baltimore attacking rates to that
CITY