Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-26
|. C. C. Decides Against Penn.
SyNania and Baltimore and
Ohio Railroads.
MUST BE GRANTED HERE
SAME AS IN BALTIMORE
Only Question at Issue One of Dis.
elimination Board Says-0rder
Effective August /.

/ mission declded today.
! The only question at issue in the case
| according to the commission. was tina
| of discrimination. The commission, how
! ever. ruled that the railroads could with
| draw this free delivery service on good.
| coming within the fourth class, as it wa:
maintained on only three classes in Balti
| more.
| The order is made effective August /
| 1913, and is to extend for two years or sc
| long during this period "as said respond
ents maintain their present regulations
and practices or substantially similar
regulations and practices respecting store
door delivery in Baltimore. Md, on arti
cles moving to that city under the first
second and third class rates from points
in New England, New York, N Y, and
Philadelphia. Pa
The same opinion carries an order
making effective the decision of the
commission ordering the extension of
the delivery service to Anacostia, d. G.
cision in the present case.
The commission in it's opinion declared
that to withdraw the service would. in
effect, be increase in rates. The
opinion further asserts that the justi-
fication of the railroads for the with
draWal of this service consists of his
tory, and this history as presented by
the Pennsylvania railroad in pamphlet
form. is made part of the commits
On the question of increase, the opinion
has this to say:
Amount of Service Less.
There is some controversy in this
proceeding to whether or not it pre-
sents an increase of rates for the con-
sideration of the commission. The fig
ures upon the published tariffs for
transportation from New England, New
York and Philadelphia to Washington
Will be the same if the suspended tariffs
are allowed to go into effect as they
are now. The amount of service given
Tor the rates so presented. however will
be distinctly less 1t is as much an in
the same amount as to charge a greater
amount for the same service
The claim Of the Washington interests
that the attempts of the railroads to
withdraw the free delivery service for
the city was an act of retaliation be-
cause OF decisions ordering the extension
OF the service up 14th street northwest
north OF Florida avenue and to Anacos-
tia. Is declared by the commission to be
of no consequence.
The orders" said the commission on
this point. required the removal Of dis
Grim nations. Such orders may always
VIC CCCS GU cflHcI ny extensions or the
practice found to be discriminatory so as
to include all who are entitled to it. or
by the Withdrawal of the practice from
those Heretofore favored
After declaring that the showings of
rates made at the hearings were not
especially Illuminating" the commits
sion takes up the matter of discrimina-
tion. At the same time occasion is taken
to point out that the service now render
ed In Washington and Baltimore pre-
features in fha hca~ of
Iurther explanation appear to be grossly
discriminatory
Payment of Drayage Charges.
"For instance" says the opinion the
merchants Of New York city or of Phila-
delphia may now ship certain property
to Baltimore or to Washington and re-
ceive store-door delivery without extra
expense. The merchants of Pittsburgh.
Pa: Cleveland. Ohio; Buffalo. n Y, or
even Jersey City, N. j.. or Wilmington.
Del. however. when shipping like prop
erty to either Baltimore or WASHINGTON
must pay rates which are substantially
in line with those charged from New
| England, New York and Philadelphia. and
must m addition pay. sell upon a basis
which will enable their consignees to pay,
| drayage charges at Baltimore or Wash
/ ington. The fact that the service as
| rendered may provoke other complaints
| OF discrimination does not warrant the
carriers. however. in abandoning the
service at Washington while continuing
1t at Baltimore. That would merely
create an advantage for the Baltimore
| merchants as against the Washington
merchants without removing the above
DETERMINATIONS in favor of New Eng.
| land. New York and Philadelphia"
This is apparently plain invitation to
those cities TO test this discriminate
| However. If such complaints should be
! filed it is not at all unlikely, it Is be-
| lieved, that the railroads will remove the
| cause by Withdrawing the free delivery
! service on all classes of freight at ali
places.
Claim of Discrimination.
Taking up the claim of discrimination
| the opinion says:
| I'm addition to the claim as to the
| amount of the rates. the Washington in.
terests point to the fact that such de.
| livery service without extra charge upor
shipments of property received from New
| England. New York and PHILADELPHIA
upon rates in substantial harmony with
those from the same points to Washing
ton. is now and for a long time has
been, rendered by the respondent car
| riers at Baltimore, Md. The claim /.
made that the withdrawal of the service
| at Washington and its continuance a
| Baltimore Will cause an unlawful dis
| elimination. In the view of the commits
sion this is the only issue in this pro
ceeding.
THE testimony shows that the jobber.
| and retailers of Baltimore and Washing
| ton are in a general competition for
| considerable volume Of trade. The re-
| tail merchants of each city seek the
| patronage of the public in the inter
mediate territory. There is also a con
! siderable patronage Of Baltimore mer
| chants by shoppers from Washington
| Also jobbing houses of the two cities ART
in competition, not only for the patron
| age of merchants of Washington and the
| immediate surrounding territory. but also
in at least one instance for the patron
age of dealers in paper goods throughout
| the southeastern territory.
| The carriers profess to fear that the
continuance OF the delivery service
| without extra charge at Washington
| will provoke complaints of discrimina-
ton on the part of Richmond Va: Har-
| risburg, Pa, and other cities These
| matters must be met when they arise
| So long as the delivery without extra
charge at Baltimore is continued. how