Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-03-28
AT
PORT ARKANSAS
AEANSA> CLAIMS AME RIGHT. AZ
To FREIGHT RATES. ~ OBTAIN
WITH LINES BETWEEN IIOI-S
TON AND GALVESTON.
ALLEGE DISCRIMINATION
CLAIMS DECISION FOR EQUAL
RATES Bl II. :. COMMERCE COM
MISSION II DEAD LETTER Fol;
LACK OF ENFORCEMENT.

The very able paper which follows
was read 10 the Gulf Coast Editors az
>nciatinn AT san Bcnito last night. II
deal with a very importan matter and
should be- carefully studied.
| viii endcavor 10 sketch rs briefly
rs possible the history of the Port Aran-
SaS situation.
This harhor was opened for traffic
Via ocean going vessels July 1. 1872. az
which time application was made ~ the
railroad commission of Texas. IN the
Arkansas IIarbor Terminal Railway com
pany for authority To operate this line
as a common carrier. this road and also
the Arkansas Pass Channel and Dock
company being completed simultaneous
IN IA that time.
The commission held \ hearing ~ dc-
lrrminc the status Of this road. and dc.
cidcd that il was entitled Ia the same
rates and conditions as obtain with the
lines operating between Houston and
Galveston. and fixed the status of the
Arkansas IIarbor Terminal Railway com
pauy accordingly. Application was then
made ~ all the railroad lines IN the
State Ia ioin the Arkansas lIarhor Tcrmi-
nal Railway ia the Publication of the
same rates aud conditions n apply
through Galveston. which WAS promptly
and definitely refused 10y all except the
san Antonio \ Arkansas Pass and Cot
ton Belt. | will explain that The basis
employed in making these through rates
on cotton a. foreign ports IL 90 use The
Texas commission mileage scale up To
Houston. and then add an arhiiarary of
q cents. "a often referred 10 a> the llou.-
ton Galveston diffcrrntial. - above
stated the StatuS NJ the Arkansas llar-
hnr 4 Terminal railway. running from
Nra>>a> Pass ~ the hlrhnr M Port
Arkansas on The Houston Galveston basis.
then the late necessary 20 place Port
Arkansas ON parity with Galveston. Tex.
~ City or Port Arthur. was ~ apply
the Texas commission mileage scale uI'
IA Arkansas Pass and add the Il rrnt> nr
diffrrrntial. All Texas commission tar.
iff were - ordered issued IN that tri.
hunal. But yuu understand the Texas
commission has mo- authority to compel
railroads to issue anv particular rate
GA Interstate shipments aud 10 being
proven that there ~ nn local cnn>nmp
ton III cotton III Arkansas Pass NJ Port
Arkansas. III naturally follows that all
cotton shipped 10 that port j. for export
and therefore interstate t~raffir, which
neither the Arkansas Ilarhor \ Terminal
railway nor the AranSaS Pass channel
\ Dock company attempted 20 deny
Those companies are not fighting ~ I
>lhtrrfugr ~ tcrhincality but m th,
broad lines III wilful discrimination
against the port and the people III South
west Texas. The Interstate Commerc,
commission only may regulate inicr>tat,
rates. Port Arkansas thus found herself
tuinou>ly handicapped at the vcry out
>at. resulting in the handling ~ anly ;
ncglihlc quantity NJ cotton the first year
aud even that with great ronfu>ion :,
shippers. the effect being seriously Eel
thi> past season. The channel \ Hocl
company Immediately asked for a hear
ing before the Interstate Commerce com
mission which was granted. 81 thi'
hearing which was not concluded unit
last April. the defendant lines tr>tilr.
that they mere willin. ~ publish rate.
e. Port Arkansas on a basis of | cent
or ~ rents per bale higher than 10 Gal
weston. \ decision was rendered juno