Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1914-08-02
APPLICATION FOR INCREASES
EAST OF BUFFALO AND
PiTTSBIRG ENDED.
RAISE COMMODITY RATE
New Tariffs Expected Ia Increase
Incomes of Roads Approx
imRtely Two aud One
halt Per Cent.

~ Associated Press
WASHINGTON y e.. Aug -
4 five per cent increase In freight
rates between Buffalo and piltsburs
aud the Mississippi river was grant
ed today by the Interstate Commerce
Commission
ln The decision in the eastern ad-
vance rate ease. an increase EAST
Of piusbare aud Buffalo were de-
Lied No Increases were granted on
lake rail rates An class rates within
the central freight association ter
ritory were advanced five per cent
Commodity rates got like advance
excepting coal, coke. brick, tile, clay
starch. cement, iron ore ana plaster
Commissioners McChord and Dan
iels az the last moment gave q dis
senting opinion COMMODITIES on
which no advance was allowed com
prise approximately 30 per cent Of
the total volume of traffic In the
central territory The new rates
as of the railroads approximately one
aud onc-half per cent All of the
principal east and west system VIII
be- benefited
The railroads which applied Tor
the Interstate Commerce Commls-
sions permision To raise their freight
rates we're the - lines In the ter
rifory east of the Mississippi and
north Of the ohio and Potomac riv-
erg The increase asked was five
per cent. mst half the increase
which these same railroads trlcd 10
get approval OF in 1910 but failed.
II was deemed that public senu-
ment desired prompt decision OF
the nav application, and the In
ierstnie Commerce Commission i'm
mcdiately instituted hearings, al
which President willard OF the Bal
umore and ohio. President Delnno
Of the Monon system. George stew
art Pat..rsO general counsel OF
the Pennsylvania. and other promi-
uent railroad officials gave testi-
muny Louis D. Brandeis of Boston
representing the commission aud the
shippers was one of the leading
cpunscls IN opposition.
The cunten. ion of the railroad
managers was that IN the last three
wears the railroads had spent 500
900. .0uu in new capital. but that ~
1913 the earnings were G.00O,0oo
less than in 1912; that the ereat-
esq increases in railroad expenses
had come about by higher wages
taxes and new investment In the pro
pertics. that conditions were such
that the New York Central had since
September 1913 been forced ~ lay
off $4,000 men and " was strongly
iutima cd by some witnesses that un-
lees the situation were relieved the
railroads Nigh have To accept gov
ernmcnt ownership az the only al
tentative
The opposing contentious were In
effect that the railroads were con
stantlv enjoying higher revenues;
that they spent more on improve
meute last year than any other year
I'm history that one terminal alone
bpin az a cost OF Sl0N,0u0, eco
would have built an entire railroad
from New iork 20 Chicago. and,
above an. that the free services
which tnc railroads performed for
large industrial concerns. would, "
mad for net the railroaas approx
imately $4,000. 900 year. Mr.
Hrandeis declared that "a sum ap-
proaching tlUU 100000 year s
easily within the railroads grasp "
methods Of conserving revenues
which are being suggested are adopt
ed
The greatest opposition from ship-
pors came irom those interested In
coal and petroleum. and n was
chare,d b., Independent refiners that
the increased freight rates would
p.reit the Standard on Company
Al the expense of the independent
conc ru"
Various attempts we're made 20
repre,enr President Wilson as being
In favor of the increase. but he took
ihe tand that the case was before
"a oua judicial body. however. eN-
pre.ssd the view that he ease should
be determined Without any unnec-
essary delay