Evening times-Republican., 1914-02-17
IOWA COMMISSION AND COM.
MERGE COUNSEL ACTIVE IN
SECURING ADJUSTMENTS.
INEQUALITIES CONSPICUOUS
IN APPLE RATES SOUTHWEST
Gas Companies With Coke a. ey.Pred.
uet Hit Hard II Propossd Rate In.
crease 10 Granted by Interstate Com.
justment Of Lumber
Rates From West Being Demanded.
;pecial to Times-Republican

special TO lmeS-RepuDNcan.
Des Moines, Feb. 17.-As illustrating
how closely the work Of the Iowa rail-
way commission and it's commerce
counsel or legal department. are re-
lated to the agricultural and allied in
dustries Of the state, the activities of
Judge J. H. Henderson the past week
to Washington, then back to Kansas
City, and home. Several interesting
rate matters claimed his attention.
The Kansas City trip was to NEE.
with a committee Of commissioners
from four state and representatives Of
the apple growers association to plan
campaign for better rates for 1ota
apples and those Of nearby states. 1t
has been found on investigation that,
for instance, apples from the Rochester
district of New York can be sent into
the southern market, where no apples
are grown for shipment, at q rate about
13 cents hundred cheaper than from
any place in Iowa. Now what is
planned and will be demanded is es-
tabiishment Of a group or district with
st. Joe as about the center, comprising
territory In four states, with group
rate to southern and eastern points
This Is only as yet in its preliminary
stages.
Gas Companies Have Complaint.
In Washington the commerce cOun-
Of eastern coal in Mississippi river cit
thair nrofoSt o0oinet tho nronouod
per cent advance in rates on coal,
among other things. 1t was figured ont
that as to the gas factory in Daven-
port it would cost about $2,7O0 year
and in Clinton $4,000 year, with SIM
liar raises in all other Mississippi river
cities. Inasmuch as users Of coking
Goals operate under franchises and are
unable to raise their rates, the injus-
tice Of permitting an increase in tho
cost of their raw product was pointed
out.
Another question coming before the
commission was that Of the rates east
ward on starch. glucose and other sim
liar corn products. The advocates Of
an increase made no showing as to any
reason therefor, hence no resistance or
argument for resistance was made.
Lumber Rate inequalities.
Another important matter brought up
was the demand. made formally by
lumber company of Des Moines, but
having relation to lumber interests
generally in the state, for an adjust
ment OF rates from the Pacific coast on
fir lumber. Some years ago the COM
mission, in q controversy between the
lumber companies and the railroads.
granted an increase from so cents to
55 cents into Iowa, and directed that
the state be divided into zones and the
cents be distributed across Iowa, the
50 cent rate being to the Missouri river.
The carriers have never done this. but
blanketed all Iowa with the cents in
crease. Judge Henderson pointed out
that this former case was decided
with Iowa consumers Of lumber being
consulted or being party to the suit.
The railroads. plead that most of this
lumber has been coming thru st. Paul.
They do not wont to divide Iowa up
into zones. The significance of this
lumber controversy is that it chiefly
concerns the building Of silos in which
fir lumber is much used.
In the apple starch and lumber
cases the farming interests of Iowa are
directly concerned. II there are those
who think that the commerce counsel
has little to do they should investigate
as to what is necessary in preparation
Of some Of these rate cases.