The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-12-24
ROADS GET RATE INCREASE
ADVANCES OF 5 PER CENT ON
FREIGHT TARIFFS GRANTED.
Interstate Commerce Commission
Gives oplnion-Means $50, 600, 900
Increase Annually to Railways.

Washington, Dec. 19.-Increases in
freight rates, approximately 5 per
cent, on all the railroads between the
Atlantic seaboard and the Mississippi,
north Of the Potomac and Ohio rivers,
were granted by the Interstate Com
merce Commission in a divided opin-
ion, excepting upon certain heavy COM
modities, which comprise a large bulk
of the traffic.
The increases will further apply to
those railroads west of Buffalo and
Pittsburgh, that were granted partial
advances In the decision of last Au-
gust, which denied them altogether to
the roads east of those points. 1t is
estimated the advanced rates will in
crease the annual income of the roads
about $50, 600, 900.
Confronted With Emergency.
The commission made it's decision
upon the showing Of the railroads that
in addition to conditions from which
they previously asked relief, they now
are confronted with an emergency be-
cause of the val in Europe.
With Commissioners James S. Har-
Ian and Judson c. Clements dissent
ing, the majority of the commission de-
clared:
Whatever the consequences of the
war may prove to be, we must recog-
nize the fact that it exists: the fact
that it is a calamity without precedent,
and the fact that by it, the commerce
of the world has been d~isarranged and
thrown into confusion. The means Of
transportation are fundamental and in
dispensable agencies in our industrial
life, and for the common veal should
be kept abreast of public require
ments."
Report Gives Three Causes.
Summarizing the basis of it's deci-
sion, the majority report of the com.
mission said:
The facts disclosed, and occur
rences originating subsequent to May
80, 1914, as presented St the further
hearing, may be summarized under
three heads-frst, completed returns
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1914.
and returns for succeeding months;
second, the wal in Europe and, third,
results of the original order.
when these cases were originally
submitted, as also when the original
report was prepared, the revenue and
expenditure account for June, 1914,
and the property investment account
for that fiscal year were not available,
the war was unforeseen and the results
of u order were, of course, yet to
come. Collectively, they present a
new situation"
To Give Ter Days Notice.
The commission issued this order:
ut Is ordered that respondents here
in be, and they are hereby authorized
to publish and file, by not less than
10 days notice to the Interstate Com
merce Commission and to the general
public, In the manner prescribed in
section 6 of the act to regulate COM
merce, schedules of rates which do not
exceed the limits or t~ransgress the
limitations stated and prescribed in
said report.
ut is further ordered that the per-
mission hereby granted does not waive
any of the requirements of the com
missions published rules relative to
the construction and filing of tariff
publications, nor any Of the provisions
of the act to regulate commerce, as
amended, except as to the notice to be
given"