The Washington herald., 1914-03-31
CARRIERS WOULD
HASTEN INQUIRY
Railroads Want to Take
Stand at Once in Rate
Hearing.
DELAY IS DANGEROUS"
George F. Brownell. of Erie, Presents
Petition to !. c. C.-Tells
of Recent Losses.

! Asserting that the situation confront
ing them was a grave one, OF vital i'm
portance to the public as we'll as the rail-
roads. the carriers IN the Eastern terri
tory OF the United States petitioning for
an increase in freight rates of 5 per cent
asked the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion yesterday afternoon to expedite the
case ana allow the carriers TO complete
their presentation Of their evidence and
make tinal argument this week. The re-
a. cot Eas made upon behalf of the car
. sIses hv s-ara Q, Brownell, vice presi-
--aerr " uc |rs Tailroad.
bi7g Erowu-a rsriewed the proceedings
~ aengis. called attention to the cor
dial o6-opesaton of the railroads with
the Commission. but plaintly stated that
the carriers 5siieved that the case should
he submitted for final determination at
the earliest practicable date. He stated
that the carriers could complete their
case in three days.
At the present time the commission has
scheduled hearings to be accorded the
railroads as late as April 20. Mr.. Brown
ell directed attention to the fact that
nearly six months had elapsed since the
commission began the proceedings, and
that neither the representatives of ship
pers or the attorneys representing the
commission had yet made any effort TO
cross-examine the railroads witnesses,
or to make replies to the statistics filed.
Make Ruling Today.
Mr. BrowneII assured the commission
that the situation was a serious one and
that President Willard of the Baltimore
and Ohio and other chief executives of
the leading trunk lines OF the East were
anxious to take the stand either today or
tomorrow and wind up the case.
F Every commissioner was on the bench
when Mr.. Brownell made his statement,
the statement and application coming as
a surprise, and Chairman Harlan, of the
commission, after a brief consultation
with his colleagues, announced that the
commission would make a ruling tomor-
row morning on the application to expe- |
dite the case. |
George Stuart Patterson, of the Penn |
sylvania Railroad Company, placed in the |
record the latest figures obtainable on |
the revenues and expenses of the fifty
two carriers asking for the increase. Mr.. |
Patterson said that these statistics show /
ed enormous increases in operating ex-
penses, decrease in total operating rev.
enues, and an unprecedented decrease in
operating income. The decrease in total
operating revenues for the first seven
months of the present fiscal year, as
with the same period of thei
preceding fiscal year, amounted to S.
1888; the increase in total operating
expenses amounted to S39. 30 233: net
operating revenue DECREASED sos, 49,
Statement of lBrownen.
Taxes alone showed an increase for the
first seven months of the present fiscal
year of S2.e44,OSO Summarizing, Mr.. Pat
terson said that the operating income of
the carriers showed a total decrease of
81. .0a6, sS5, or % per cent less than for
The seven months of the preceding fiscal
year of 1913. Mr.. Patterson said that the
figures for February and March, so far
show that these two months
would show even greater operating ex-
1enses and decreased operating income
Mr.. Brownell. in making his applica-
ion, said:
1T is the earnest desire Of the car
'iers to complete the presentation of their
evidence in support Of the advanced rates
Ind close their case at the earliest pos
'ible date. in order that the matter may
De submitted for the consideration and
OF the Commission without
my avoidable delay
Mr.. Brownell said that the case really
vas submitted to the commission in May,
9l3 when the carriers were denied a
eopening of the old advanced rate case.
then, he said, the commission, on its own
started a proceeding of its
wn with reference to the revenues of
he Eastern carriers. The matter
ragged along. he said. until the rail-
Dads were compelled to prepare and
Ormally file with the commission tariffs
md these tariffs were suspended. pend