The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-07-23
Petition to Interstate Com
merce Commission by
3. & M.
RAILROAD NEEDS
INCREASED REVENUE
Massachusetts, State Board Will Be
Asked to Assist-Hearing Before
Public Service Commissions of the
New England States.

BOSTON, July %. Boston &
Maine railroad freight and passenger
rate schedules are being revised and
the interstate commerce commission
will be asked to approve the new
schedules, which call for substantial
increases The commission. when the
advanced rate schedules have been
filed, will consult with the railroad or
public service commissions of ALassa-
chusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and
Vermont, and will have hearings joint
ly with the members of those bodies, at
which the railroad company will pre-
sent the reasons why is should be al
lowed the increase.
In the opinion of the interstate COM
merce commission on the general rail
road situation in New England, the
road is given permission to file advanc-
ed schedules and present further irfor-
nation for the commission which viii
give it sufficient knowledge to act win
intelligence and fairness. The quas-
tion is of Importance to the whole
country for in its opinion the commits
sion says:
/ E'It will be found u very difficult
and delicate proceeding to advance
rates upon the Boston & Maine system
without a corresponding advance upon
other railroads of New England and in
other parts of the country. 1t should
also be remembered that this railroad
system furnishes almost exclusive fdiI-
road facilities for the major part of
northern New England, and that any
general advance in interstate rates
should undoubtedly be accompanied by
corresponding advances IN state rates >
| The schedules which are being pre-
lpared for the use of the interstate com
merce commission will show what part
/ of the traffic affected by the increased
rates is interstate and what part is
state. The figures for New Hampshire
have already been prepared and show
+ that of all traffic either beginning or
ending in that state, 80 per cent is in
/ terstate and ten per cent STAKE Proba-
/ bly, the proportion of interstate busi-
ness is less in the other states involv-
/ ed, but 1T is estimated that - per cent
| of the total traffic is subject to federal
regulation, and the increased rates on
this, if approved, viii affect all the
local rates which are under state con
troll.
The contention will be made, in the
petition of the company, that the in
crease of rates is absolutely necessary
Il ~ N''hi OHb tiit tOHbtIli pldttu e.
ments on the Boston & Maine, and to
meet its maturing obligations Under
an old New Hampshire statute, the
bonds of the Boston & Maine cannot
be placed with bankers under par. 1t
VIII be necessary in the near future to
provide for the maturing of $11, ,000.-
Oo0 IN notes and the labor bill of the
Boston Maine has increased tremen-
dously IN the past few wears. If the
increases asked are granted, the rail
road company claims that it will be
able to increase facilities, which. rather
than low rates, are demanded by the
shippers.
1t IS not likely that the interstate
commerce commission viii take up the
matter before fall, although the com
pany Will present its interstate sche.
dules as soon as they can be completed
Ihls will give time to the commission
TO enter upon an independent investi-
CATION before taking up the general in
crease of rates with the commissioners
OF the states involved.