Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-09-23
REOPEN RATE CASE
AT ROADS, REQUEST
interstate Commerce Commits.
sion May Reverse Itself On
Advance DeniaI--President
May Have Paved WAY.

Washington. ID. c., Sept. 21.-The In
terstate Commerce commission today
decided to reopen the eastern advance
rate case and will begin hearings here
on October 10. A formal order to tina
effect was prepared.
The decision of the commission comes
upo the recent application of the
railroads which was made after Presi-
dent Wilson had received a representa-
tive committee of railroad presidents at
the White House. How far that con-
ference may have one toward pre-
pairing the way for a r%eopening of the
case is not Known. 1T was said at the
time that the railroad mel asked the
president to appeal to the country to
treat the railroads in a spirit of CO.
operation and the president responded
by sending a sympathetic letter to
Chairman Frank Trumbull, of the
Chesapeake & Ohio.
The railroads also asked the COM
mission to modify it's recent decision,
which granted increases west of Pitts
burgh and denied all increases between
the Great Lakes n he Atlantic sea-
cannot modify that order without
hearings; the decision to reopen the
case brings the whole question up
again for review in which the railroads
will press for the five per cent increases
throughout the territory east of the
Mississippi and north Of the Ohio and
Potomac rivers.
Western railroads already are pre-
pairing applications for increases in
freight rates, so that when the COM
mission begins the rehearing 1T will
have substantially before it applica-
ions for increased freight rates from
the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The eastern railroads asked for a
reopening, not upon h showing they
made at the hearings prior to the de-
clslon. but upon conditions which the
managers say have become apparent
since. The showing of the roads for June
which was not available when the case
was before the commission last time
and the exigencies which have been
thrust lpon them by the European war.
with the attendant difficulties of getting
new capital and the falling off in ex-
port traffic, We're cited as the princi-
pal reasons why the case should be
reopened.
Shippers organizations, which fought
the increases previously, have given
Vances on the rehearing. They will be
represented by counsel and will have
opportnnity to oppose new increases as
they did before.
The increases the railroads ask are
Identical With those which We're denied
Although described as 5 per cent adj
vances, the commissions recent deci-
sion declared some of them ranged as
iilsh as 90 per cent The principal
heavy commodities west of Pittsburgh.
Buffalo and Charleston, such as coal
and coke. which constitutes more than
half of the total traffic of the rail
roads. will be affected.
All classes and commodity rates east
for which the commission denied in.
creases entirely, will be affected by the
new case. NV
The formal order of the commission
follows:
Upon consideration of a petition bv re-
spordents for modification of orders here
tofore entered in the above entitled cases
and good cause appearing therefor:
1t is ordered that further hearings i'm
said cases he. and are hereby granted.
said hearings to be limited to presenfa.
ton of facts disclosed and occ11rroncas
originating subsequently to the date ,,non
which the records previously made in
these cases We're closed.
1t is further ordered that pending s,,ch
rehearlng and further order of the com,
mission In the above entitled cases. tina
commissions report, findings and ordnrs
heretofore entered therein shall remain
in full force and effect.
1t is further ordered that this proceed.
ing be assigned for hearing at the offca
on the 18th of October, 1914, at 10 O'Clock
i. IN.
1t is further ordered that a copy of this
order be served upon each of the parties
to the above entitled cases.