The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-12-17
SIuTSMAN ASKS
EXPRESS VIEWS
Chairman Of State Commits
sion Makes Statement of
the Situation.
WILL
FACTS
Expected that North Dakota
Shippers Will Make
Known Complaints

Known Complaints
An expression from Chairman
Stutsman of the North Dakota rail-
commission Of the express rate
situation in North Dakota, which was
brought about through the complaint
OF Grand Forks shippers. indicates
that considerable material has been
gathered bearing on. the question. The
next hearing on the question will be
held here early in January. Mr..
stutsman's statement follows:
Inc local express rate situation In
North Dakota has been more or less
tense Tor the past couple Of years.
says President Stutsman Of the state
commission. and during that time
the board Of railroad commissioners
has attempted to work out a plan for
q general reduction of rates within
inc state which would ease the burden
now being borne by the shippers Of
express packages. and at the same
time be fair to the express companies
and not give them a chance to get
The matter into the courts with long
drawn out litigation, and It now be.
gins to look as though the whole mat
ter Will reach a sa~tisfactory adjust
ment early in the coming year.
The. commission has delayed action
from time to time owing to the fact
that h Interstate Commerce Com
mission has been developing an en-
tirely new rate scheme for express
companies somewhat similar to the
parcels post system now in use, and
upon h PRONUNCIATION by the Inter-
state Commerce Commission OF its or
der last summer the North Dakota
commission took the matter up with
a view to adjusting the Interstate
express rates to fit the rates ordered
to be put into effect by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. However, it
was further delayed in this matter
by the fact that a consorted action on
the part Of all Of the states Of the
union wa being taken looking to a
harmonious adjustment Of all intra-
state rates to fit the new scheme
promulgated by the national commits
sion. This was found. however, to be
not only an intricate and complicated
proceeding but n very difficult Of
adjustment by reason Of the fact that
several states now have in operation
express rate schemes entirely sanis-
factory to themselves and which In
some instances are even lower than
the Interstate Commerce Commission
rates.
"On December ii at the Lasalle no.
tel in Chicago was held a conference
OF state railroad commissions, or
rather a meeting Of the committee on
express service and express rates Of
the National Association Of Railroad
Commissioners consisting Of one rail-
road commissioner from each state,
which ! attended IN behalf Of North
Dakota and at this meeting appeared
two representatives OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission who elucidat-
ei ct great length the plan adopted
by h national commission and show
ed It's advantages, and attempted to
convince the members Of the state
commissions that its adoption would
work for uniformity On all express
rate matters.
every express company in the
United States was also represented
before this committee. and the COM
panies also undertook to convince the
state commissions, that 1t was for the
best interest Of all concerned that a
system similar to the Interstate Com
merce Commission scheme. and even
that the same schedule Of rates be
adopted. For q while the express
companies had vigorously resisted the
installation Of the schedule of rates
about to be adopted by the Interstate
Commerce Commission because they
claimed that It wa confiecatory In its
nature and would practically drive the
express companies out Of business.
Yet. now that 1t has been adopted and
they have all r%econciled themselves to
the situation and purpose to make a
fair and honest triad Of the new
schedule Of rates, they are anxious
that the same schedule Of rates be
adopted by the state in the interest
Of uniformity.
THE conference at Chicago lasted
two days. and many interesting facts
were developed in connection with the
express rate situation in the various
states. and while It is problematical
whether 1t WILL be possible to HARM
onize the express situation in all the
the North Dakota commission will
adopt practically. not only the meth
cd Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission in asc~ertaining rates, but also
the rates themselves.
IA conference will be held by the
North Dakota commission at Grand
Forks the early part Of January. to
which r invited shippers and repre-.
sentatives of the commercial clubs of
all the cities In the state, and also
the representatives Of the express
CUnupdIlEcos 81 lA0I Uio iJidIIeT CAIl Ue
tremendously adjusted in this state
Immediately, 90 that whatever sched-
ule of rates is adopted. the same can
80 into effect or February I, the date
set for the adoption of the Interstate
Commerce Commission rates.
1.-THE effect Of the Interstate Com
ere Commission rates will be to
greatly reduce the cost of transporta-
ton Of small packages for short dis
tanoea. For instance. all packages
under fifty pounds for distance under
three hundred miles will be very ma
terially reduced. However, the
charges on packages Of over fifty and
up to hundred pounds. and
heavier than hundred pounds. will
be somewhat increased. The ques-
tton mostly interesting to the ship
pers Of North Dakota will be whether
to adopt the schedule az a whole. and
thus permit the increasing Of express
charges on packages of greater weight
than fifty pounds. AS experience hns
taught that ninety per cent Of express
business consists Of packages Of lees
than fifty pounds weight. it IL thought
the permitting Of a greater
weight may not be a hardship and
might compensate the express COM
panie0 for the much lower rates they
Will have to put up with on smaller
r~ackagea"
JOHN LEVI BURIED TODAY
Body Of Pioneer Resident Arrived
Tuesday From st. Pan-Funexal
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