davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-06-13
News Of Especial Interest to.
Minnesota Readers,
FALLS HEAVILY ON RAILROADS.
Rate Decision Calls for Return Of
Three million Dollars to Passen-
gers and Shippers

Minnesota railroads will be com.
PEELED to rebate to shippers and pas
sengers at least S3,O00,000 as a result
of the United States supreme court
opinion in the now famous rate case.
Three classes of rates are affected,
all differently.
In 1906 the railroad commission es-
tablished schedule of merchandise
rates, effective Nov. Is of that year.
In 1907 the legislature passed the
commodity rate law, effective June l
of that year.
The same year it passed the 2-cent
passenger fare law, also effective
June 1. ..-~.
The merchandise rates were put into
force by the railroads and not with.
drawn until June 1, 1911. The same il
true CT the passenger rates.
The commodity rates were never en-
forced, having. been enjoined by the
United States district court.
AS result of this situation the rail
roads owe shippers and passengers as
follows:
A rebate of the difference between
the merchandise rates established by
the legislature and those in force by
the railroads since June l, 1911-ap
proximately 100000. s
A rebate on all passenger fares, ex
cept over the Minneapolis and St
Louis, of 1 cent mile for every mile
travelled from June l, 1911, which
probably will amount to 100000, as
only those who took receipts for the
fares paid Will be entitled to rebate
Rebates Go Back to 1907.
A return of everything paid in ex
cess of the commodity rates of 1907
from June ! of that year to June l
1913, estimated at $2,400,00O, includ
ing interest.
In 1899 the legislature established
the principle that the excess commod
ity rates must be returned to shippers
should the state win in the rate case
It is a well known principle tina
when a railroad charges more thai
LAG Ia Ill 1ol0 CuC SA1ppO1 may 1CSOF
| er The 1909 tax required the rail
j road to file a monthly statement will
the railroad and warehouse commits
sion, showing in detail the name O
| the shipper, station to and from which
the freight moved, kind of freight an,
difference between the rate in litiga
ton and that charged.
! The roads have complied with thi
i law and it appears that the overcharg
| on commodities amounts to 100000
\ year. This does not include merchar
] disc shipments or excess passenge
| rates.
The law requires the roads to pay t
| the railroad commission the amount G
/ the excess freight within ninety day
! Of the final entering of the decree i
/ the rate case and the commission mus
! distribute this to claimants within on
/ year.
The. commission has on file tn
names Of all shippers and the amour
/ due them since June 1, 1909