The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-06-16
LOWER EXPRESS RATES
REDUCTION IS ORDERED BY THE
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
Is the First Revision Made in the
State in More Than Twenty Years.
The Block System Adopted.

The Block system Adopted.
After three years of exhaustive in
vestigation and study, the state rail-
road commission OF Georgia passed
its final order in the matter OF intra-
state express rates, which the COM
mission considers the most important
work it has done in the last five years.
OF particular importance is the
portion of the order which protects
native grown fruits and vegetables
and other necessities of life, provid-
ing a rate of so per cent. in lieu Of
the regular rate of Is per cent.
Block System Adopted.
The commission adopted for Geor-
gia, with notifications, the general
scheme of block rates made effective
by the interstate commerce commits
sion on interstate traffic, thereby
bringing about uniformity in the
method of stating express rates and
in classification of the different COM
modities that move by express.
A modified sub-block system of
constructing express rates was adopt
ed, after a most careful study as to
it's effect on Georgia traffic.
Illustrating the notifications made
by the Georgia commission of the IN
terstate commerce commissions plan
of making and stating express rates;
Each interstate block is subdiVided
into sixteen sub-blocks, and rates
constructed for transportation be-
tween sub-block points, rather than
between points in the interstate block
or adjoining interstate block, which
has the effect of very materially re-
ducing rates on short-haul traffic be-
tween Georgia points.
First class express rates in Georgia
under this method, commence with so
cents per 100 pounds for Georgia
shipments, instead of So cents per
100 pounds, as proposed to be made
effective on interstate shipments for
the same distance.
Food and drink commodities are
rated in the interstate plan at 70
per cent. of first class rates. This
percentage has also been followed by
the Georgia commission in fixing sec
ond class rates, except that it has
been the purpose of this commission
to protect native grown fruits and
vegetables, and certain other food
and drink articles, and in lieu OF a
rate of rs per cent. of first class rate
made effective on interstate COM
merce commission shipments, has
prescribed for the same distance on
Georgia shipments that such articles
shall be transported at so per cent. Of
the first class rate; the commodities
or which this reduced rating is APP
plicable being as follows:
Apples, beans, beets, berries, berry
plants, cabbage, corn (green on earl,
clans lin SHIELD, cantaloupes, coca
cola, cucumbers, fish tsee note); net
weight, minima as follows: Standard
boxes, 100 pounds; standard sugar
barrel, 200 pounds; ginger ale, min
eral water, oysters Tin SHIELD, onions,
peaches, peas, pears, pep-to-lac, pota-
toes, pop, soda water and similar
aerated or carbonated beverages, to-
rlatoes, turnips and vegetable plants.
First Revision i'm Years.
The express rates in Geo -gia had
NOT been revised since 1892, ard as a
consequence were extremely anti
quated and inefficient.
Great credit for the present revis-
ion is due to J. Prince Webster, the
commissions rate expert who for the
past three years has devoted a large
part of his time exclusively to this
work. He has attended practically
every hearing before the interstate
commerce commission on the subject
of express rates and has interviewed
the state commissions and attended
hearings in dozens of states. OF this
and the rates used by other states, he
prepared comprehensive digest
largely aided the commission in pre-
pairing its order.