Norwich bulletin., 1913-04-25
New England
 Freight Rates
SUBJECT OF INQUIRY AT BOSTON
 YESTERDAY.
HIGHER IN THE SOUTH
Testimony of Chief of Railroad Tariff Bureau-Adnits Advances on Lum- Der and Potato Shipments.


 1 the freight rates charged by the New 1 ork, New Haven and Hartford rail- roads and its allied lines in New Eng 1 land was taken up by the Interstate l Commerce commission this afternoon. i The earlier sessions have been oc- ] cupied chiefly with testimony regard ing the finances of the New Haven system
 Commissioner Prouty said that the commission was proceeding on the theory that q transportation monopoly Tad been created in New England. Three things should be determined, namely:
 New Haven Freight Service Good. How does the. service in New Eng land compare with service in other parts of the country: how do New England rates compare with rates in other sections; and what effect on rates has been produced by the New Haven's acquisition of the Boston and Main and it's leased lines.
 After studying tables introduced to show the comparative service main tained by a number of leading rail- roads in the country, the commission CT said that in his opinion the New Haven's freight service was as good as any of the others, and that of the Boston and Maine about the poorest.
 Lower Rates Than South.
 Frank s. Davis, chief of the tariff bureau of the New England lines was the only witness. He produced bulky record books, quoted rates in various sections on all kinds of commodities and special classes of freight, and de- duced that since the merger of the Boston and Maine and the New Haven reads there had been advances in Is percent of the tariffs and reductions in the remaining 85 percent Fully 75 percent of the increases, he estimated, were due to the cancellation of so- called paper or useless tariffs.
 EJA England points with the rates from North Carolina to South Carolina and Georgia points on cotton piece goods and manufactured cotton goods; the rates on the Boston and Maine. Maine Central, and New York, New Haven and Hartford roads being lower in every case than the rates in the south.
 Some Reductions Due to Laws.
 Since the merger, he said, a. joint tariff had been formulated which had superseded 36 separate tariffs on the Boston and Maine, the Maine Central and the New Haven lines.
 Under cross examination by David o. Ives, chairman of the transporta,- tion committee of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Robert Romans, said that some of the reductions were due to laws recently passed.
 We are not bragging about these reductions" observed Edgar J. Rich,
  i've are apolig1zing for them Lumber and Potato Rates Advanced.
 Cross examination also developed shipments of lumber from Maine Central stations to points in New had been advanced. MT. Davis said that he did not think the railroad had an opportunity to it's revenue on great quanti- ties of lumber that had to be moved l He was unable to give any reason for the advance.
 MT Davis thought that the rates on 1 potatoes from Maine points to Boston | and New York had been increased but | could not state positively.
 Neither did he know personally that | coal freight rates were higher in New England than in other sections. Boston Exchange Repudiates Brandeis.
 An incident of the day that carried | some surprise was the announcement | oy the directors of the Boston Fruit l md Produce Exchange that Louis D. 3randeis who was supposed to be rep 'esenting the exchange at the inquiry, lad no authority as counsel for that ! body. The directors said in asking | his information that MT. Brandeis vas engaged to appear in the in before the commission last June on unsatisfactory freight service" We To not understand that MT. Brandeis s further in the service of the eX- hange," the statement concludes.
 Brandeis to Continue Inquiry.
 Since the present hearings began on Monday Mir. Brandeis has been the hief opponent of the railroad and much of the testimony was elicited by lis questions. Some bitterness has ,een engendered and in a published tatem ent today President MelIen of he New Haven system questioned 3randeis' good faith in the matter,
 MP. Brandeis refused to comment on he action of the exchange directors. Ie intinated, however, that he would 1 at toInoFroW's sessions and his intinatien seemed to be support d by the statement of Commission r Preuty just before adjournment hat te1nePFow Mr. Brandeis would be iVeh opportunity further to eX- mine David F. Brown, the examining ccountant of tho commission.
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