The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-09
STONE FREIGHT RATES.
How Increase Works to Disadvantage Of
Vermont.

Do the railroads need and can the
shipping interests OF the country stand
the five per cent increase in freight
rates which they are now seeking to
get authority to establish, at the hands
OF the interstate commerce commission
Ii the evidence to be presented by the
interested shippers and carriers is even
the hundredth part as varied and as con-
Trajectory as the thousands of protest
ing and asquiescent letters and petitions
which have already been received by the
eomisson would seem to indicate, they
will indeed need to exercise the wisdom
of Solomon in their endeavor to solve
the mighty problem, and that it is
mighty there are few that would deny.
On the one hand are the carriers, on the
other the shippers and the public. The
carriers assert that they need the rev.
enue, not only If they are to continue to
be able to pay dividends those who are
so doing -but more especially II they
are to meet the ever-increasing demands
placed upon hem-demands for better
equipment and more of it,: for ex-
the resultant demand for improvement
of facilities, tracks, stations, safety APP
planes, upkeep of roadbeds and stand
ards of excellence in every department.
The banking interests all over the
country are, almost to a unit, in favor
Of the advance. The large steel, iron,
and engineering interests naturally fav-
or the advance, as they feel, and COR
reetly so, that the measures Of the pros
perity of their industries is to be found
in that OF the railroads. The stone and
granite Industries of the east have
voiced some very earnest protests to the
commission, among the number being
one from Shea h Donnelly, stone con-
tractors OF Lynn, Mass, against the
proposed increase as it would apply to
building stone; the rate is now SOC on a
tonnage averaging 225 tons to the ear,
and it il felt that this is quite high
enough. Further, 1t would mean loss
of thousands of dollars on contracts
which they now have on hand. A pro-
test was received from the Philadelphia
branch Of the Granite Cutters lnterna-
tional association against any increase
in the rates on rough and cut stone from
Bedford. The Woodbury. Granite Co., OF
Hardwick, VT, protest that such an
advance would be serious handicap
to them because they have large con
tracts on hand on which prices were
figured under the prevailing rates and
ON such contracts, as, for instance, that
of the Wisconsin state capital, q con
tract extending over q period Of three
years or more would mean very heavy
loss which their business should not
be called upon to stand. 1t must be re-
membered that they have had 10 meet
advances in wages as well as the rail-
roads; they also have increased costs in
other directions. They feel that there
is no justification for an increase in the
rate on stone, an article which has to
be transported such extremely long
distances, and in the transportation of
which the carriers are subject to very
little damage, risk, or expense in
handling. Tho granite industry of New
England is no small factor in its indus
trial life, and particularly il this true
of Vermont, as the granite and marble
industries combined are to-day the larg
est single industry of that state. 1t
depends very largely upon the far west
for its markets, and an increase in
freight rates would seriously hamper
the trade from this section From
Monumental News.