The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-08-12
Railroads Could Now
Charge 3 Cents a Mile
for Interstate Traffic
Ibis Is Statement Of President Stusman Of the State Rail
road Commission Made In Fargo Today
Commission Is In Session at Commercial Club Here Discuss
Many Topics Pertaining to Traffic
The Reduction Of Express Rates and the Excess Tariffs to
Fargo and Grand Forks Considered

For the purpose Of considering a
number of matters vital to the travel
ing public and the traffic interests Of
the state, the North Dakota State
Railroad commission convened this
morning at II o'clock at the Fargo
Commercial club for two days ses
sion.
Among the topics of Importance to
be discussed at the sessions today
and tomorrow will be the considera-
ton of the reduction of express rates
within the state in conformity with
the new ruling of the Interstate Com
merce commission, the excess bag
gage question, the excessive freight
tariffs across the Red river affecting
Fargo and Grand Forks shippers in
conflict with the decision of Justice
Hughes of the Unitud States supreme
court, and probably the refund of the
portion Of the fares to Minnesota
points and the carrying of passengers
on the Northern Pacific fast trains be-
twen points in the state where those
trains stop in conformity with the
Great Northern schedules.
Stutsnan on Refund.
Concerning the proposition Of the
refund of a portion Of the fares to
Minnesota points from North Dakota
stations, .Presidant Stufsnan of the
commission this morning stated that
many, Inquiries had been received by
the commission asking what would be
done. . @...
"The railroad commission has been
in receipt of great many inquiries
during the past few weeks, since the
decision in the Minnesota rate cases.
said President Stutsman, I" asking
whether passengers from points in
North Dakota to points in Minnesota
are entitled to a refund of a portion
of the fare paid before the decision
was rendered.
"It is perhaps well that the commits
sion states at this time, and asks the
papers to give it as much publicity as
possible, to the effect that the decision
of the supreme court of the United
States in the Minnesota cases had no
effect upon interstate traffic of any
kind, &C., {
AT the time of the passage of the
2-cent fare bill In Minnesota, and the
.21s cent fare bill in North Dakota, the
rates between all points within these
two states and from points within one
state to points within another state
was 3 cents per mile, .'.I
after the passage Of these two acts
the legal rates were installed to con-.
form to the law, and interstate rates
were voluntarily adjusted to conform
to the sum Of the local rates. In 9TH
er words, while the fare from Bismarck
to Fargo was 21s cents a mile, and
from Moorhead to st. Paul was cents
a mile, yet there was no legal necessi-
ty for the companies making a rate
from Bismarck to st. Paul less than 8
cents mile; however. this was vol
UNFAIRLY done.
Later when Judge Sanborn COM
PEELED the Minnesota roads ito charge 8
cents mile, the through rate from
North Dakota points to ST. Paul or
other Minnesota points was raised to
equal 21a cents mile in North Da-
ikota and 3 cents in Minnesota.
The supreme court decision now re-
iquires the railway companies to reduce
the rates from cents a mile to cents
a mile in Minnesota on local business
only. It will naturally result, however
that through tickets from Bismarck or
other North Dakota points to points in
Minnesota will be based upon the sum
of the local rates and will then he
reduced from 3 cents a mile to 2 cents
q mile as to such proportions of a
trip as will be in Minnesota, but this
will be voluntary on the part of the
roads and there will be no legal neces-
sity for them to refund or return any
portion Of the passenger rates hereto
fore charged. /.
Same Applies to Freight.
The same situation is true with ref
erence to freight rates." concluded Mr..