Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-26
Plans for Local Cooperation
in Store-Door Delivery to
Be Discussed in That City.
SPECIAL Committee
NAMED FOR Meeting
Maryland City Merchants Awaiting
Reply to Letter to Interstate
Commerce Commission.

Plans for cooperating with the COM
nercial organizations Of Washington in
he fight for the continuation Of free
tore-door delivery in Baltimore and
MS city or the reduction of existing
t.eight rates in lieu of it's withdrawal
ill be discussed at a meeting to be
fleld either Monday or Tuesday by a
special committee Of the Merchants and
manufacturers Association of Baltimore.
ne appointment of which was author
zed at a special meeting held yester-
Jay afternoon. The committee Is to
onsist of five members. L. d. Easter
aoss been named chairman.
A. Z. Beck, traffic manager for the Bal
timore association. came to this city to-
lay for the purpose of making inquiries
at the interstate commerce commission
and to acquaint the secretaries of the
chamber of Commerce and Retail Mer-
uhaptS' Association OF the action taken
by his association yesterday. Mr. Beck
said the suggestion that the Baltimore
and Washington interests cooperate in
he fight they have on their hands re-
celved hearty Endorsement at the meeting.
No move viii be made by the Baltimore
association until reply is received to its
letter to the interstate commerce commits
sion asking that the new tariffs filed by
the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio
railroads he suspended until a thorough
he'd. Mr.. Beck said.
Suspension of Tariffs.
If the commission orders the suspension
it probably will be for period of five
or six months dating from September l..
the time at which the roads propose the
new rates shall go into effect. This will
enable the Baltimore merchants to gather
AZ
and appear before the commission at a
hearing.
Should the commission refuse to suspend
the new tariffs. the Baltimore associa-
ton will then draw up a formal protest
against the rates for submission to the
commission.
1t is probable that the local association
will follow plan of action similar to
that adopted by the Baltimore association.
A request that the tariffs be suspended
pending an investigation probably will be
filed by either the Retail Merchants AS
soc.ation or the Chamber of Commerce.
or both, early next week.
Baltimore Men to Employ Counsel.
Definite plans for a fight against the
OF free freight delivery and
collection service by the Pennsylvania and
Baltimore and Ohio railroads were deter
mined upon by the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association of Baltimore yes
terday afternoon, when it was Tered
that counsel be employed to carry the
case before the interstate commerce COM
mission.
President Henry F. Baker, who presided
at the general meeting Of the association
at which this action was taken warned
the members that the fight would be ex-
pensive and a special fund would have to
be raised for 1t. This was agreed to, and
1t was ordered that the president name a
special committee of five members to CO.
sociation In raising the fund and directing
the fight.
This action was taken after the traffic
bureau committee, through its chairman.
H. NJ. Thompson. had presented report
in which 1t was declared that the discon-
tinuance of the freight delivery and col
lection service would mean an increase of
approximately $35O.O00 a year in the ex-
penses of the merchants of Baltimore on
account of freight service.
Withdrawal Results In Advance.
The report declares that the withdrawal
of the service results in an advance in
rates of from IA to 20 per cent: that 1t
will unduly congest all the Baltimore
terminals and that it Is unreasonable In
that ii will give to the merchants a
poorer service for the same rate, and
because, while the service has been
withdrawn and the service is less there
has not been offered a reduction in rates
to the extent of the amount paid to
the transfer companies for collecting
and delivering freight in Baltimore"
The committee held that the proper
tionate increase in cost to "infrequent
shippers because of the discontinuance
of the service would be especially heavy,
due to the fact that the extent of their
business will not allow the making OF a
contract with any transfer company or
a basis as low as cents per 100 pounds.
which Is understood to be the rate at
which the transfer companies are paid by
the railroad companies. The net result
will be, the committee stated, that the
''infrequent shippers" in a great number
Of these cases will have to pay from 2.
to 80 cents q package for carriage to and
from the freight stations.
President Baker stated that he would
appoint the special committee OF Ave
members to work with the traffic bureau
| in prosecuting the case soon. 1t is esti-
mated that a fund Of approximately 5000
must be raised to finance the fight oil
Baltimore against the discontinuance OF
the service.