Semi-weekly herald., 1914-02-16
Excess Baggage Rate
Hearing is on Today

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. IA
Excess baggage rates now operativ.
on 69 railroads in the United St.tss
were characterized as an unjust tax
on commerce at hearing before the
interstate commerce commission here
today. At present the usual rate is
IL 2-3 per cent of one passenger far.
for every 100 pounds Of excess and
the commission was asked to enforce
a graduated rate that should ranes
from . to l2A per cent Of thu pas-
sengcr. The present minimum cheree
|. oi 70 cents was not attacked The
national baggage COMMITTEES i ~.
petitioner, representing threush NJ
], d eillss! 56S5i,S 81
houses and 100000 commercial tray-
eiers, on whom the alleged unfair
rates fall most heavily. The Merch-
ants's association of New York. The
Chicago Association of Commerce.
and the st. Louis Business Mems
league are among others represented
oy the committee.
Figures were cited at today's hear
ing to show that the railroads coI-
lected $7,173,402 last year on excess
baggage and that this was not mor.
than normal return on the amount
Of labor performed and the capital in
vested. Emphasis was given to the
TACT that no extra trains and but few
extra men are necessary to handI.
baggage, as it is always carried in .
.ar attached to a passenger train.
furthermore, so per cent OF the
money collected is for excess WEIGHT
of single trunk, rather than for ex-
ira pieces of baggage, 30 that the
amount Of the extra work is very
small.
The usual amount of baggage car.
ried without extra charge il 16O
pounds per passenger, no single piece
to weigh more than $50 pounds.
though in some states the roads car
ry 200 pounds without additional
charge. In Canada no extra charge
IS made where the baggage does not
weigh more than 300 pounds. Nntil
ivOS the general rate was 12h per
cent Of one fare for every 100 pounds
OF excess, but as passenger rates
were cut very materially about that
time the percentage was increased ac-
cordingly.
T..
In summing up before the commits
sion the attorneys for the complain-
ant said that the railroads carry an
express package for about so per
cent OF what the express company re-
;eives for transporting it, but that
they make much larger profit on
excess baggage for similar service.
For example the new express rates
per 100 pounds from New York to
Chicago is $2.40 of which the railroad
gets approximately $1.20. But for
transporting 100 pounds of excess
baggage it collects 1885, Similarly
1t gets S5.55 for carrying 100 pounds
of excess baggage from New York to
New Orleans, but IL the same weight
were sent by express the railroad
would get but $500 and the express
company like amount.
Objection was also made to The
present insurance rate for excess bag-
gage. At present it Is 10 cent? on
every 500 with minimum charge Of
25 cents. The commission was asked
70 establish minimum Of 10 cents,
such as the express companies now
have.
Another complaint is that Of IL
Jewelers. Protective Union which o.
jects to the order Of the railroads thAt
commercial baggage" ~ diffsrsaEj
ated from personal baggagsn Ihon
not contain goods for aetual sAls ~
only samples or patterns. 1his Wfu
come up for oral argunsat shostiy. i \