The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-24
EXPENSE IN
HANDLING COAL.
RAISE RATES
TRAFFIC MEN SAY INCREASE is
IMPERATIVE BUT NOT BURDEN.
SOME-IF GRANTED, OVER A
MILLION WILL BE SECURED.

Chicago, Mar 23.-Heavy expenses
in handling coal were given as one
reason why the railroads are seeking
to increase the freight rates on that
commodity in certain territory west of
and including Indiana in the hearing
of the western rate case before inter
state commerce commissioner William
Daniels, Tuesday.
Statements were made in behalf of
the railroads that the proposed in
crease in soft coal would average $795
a ton, that this would impose a bur
den on the coal consumers in the
territory affected of only cents a
year for each inhabitant if the in
crease were added to the retail price
of the coal and that the revenues of
the railroads from this commodity
would be enhanced $l226,000 a year
This amount is part of the $4,000, 600
increase in their annual revenue that
the forty-one western railroad sys
tens are seeking as "A means, they
maintain, of placing them on fair
dividend paying basis.
Edward II. Degroot, Jr, superin-
tendent of transportation of the chi
cago and Eastern Illinois road, en-
deavoring to show the alleged unprof-
5417 per cent of the total freight
tonnage of that road was bituminous
coal, but the revenue derived there
from was only 1925 per cent of the
total freight revenue.
No Great Increase Predicted
Eugene McAuliffe, general coal
agent of the St Louis and San Fran
cisco road, who had testified that the
roads were seeking to increase the
rates on coal merely because the
present rates do not yield them fair
share of profit in proportion 20 the eX-
pense of carrying coal operators.
What would be the effect on coal
production if these increases were
granted?" asked E. J. McVann of Oma,
ha, Neb,
The railroads could not afford to
put their freight rates so high as to
appreciably affect the production of
coal" the witness replied. "In fact,
the railroads are among the greatest
of coal and to take any
action that would curtail the produc-
tion of coal would iniure them in vari-
Gus ways. 1t would injure them by
reducing the traffic and it would put
them in position where they would
have to pay a higher price for their
fuel"
Would Cost Consumer Five Cents
How much it would cost the con
sumer if the increase we're added to
the retail price Of coal was figured out
Based on the population of the states
the witness said, each con
sumer would have to pay about cents
a year more for coal.
c. c. Wright, counsel for the rail
roads, announced the railroad origin
ally had asked also for an increase
on hard coal rates, but owing to the
of the roads to prepare their
case on this commodity. the applica-
tion as pertains to hard coal would be
Mr. McAuliffe presented a state
ment representing one years business
based on check of waybills in seasons
of rush and slack traffic on railroads
which carry S6.5 per cent of the coal
in the territory
Roads that would participate in
the increase asked" he said, number
121, and operate 131,O53 miles of line
The increase would add to the revenue |
OF these roads 1896 per mile yearly"
Oklahoma in Affected District.
Mr.. McAuliffe testified that the pro- |
posed advance of 795 cents per ton |
applied from mines in Illinois, Indiana, !
Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas and |
Oklahoma and some from western
and Alabama to Iowa, Wis
,Onsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
south Dakota. Nebraska, Missouri, Ar
Kansas, Louisiana, Texas and
Oklahoma. He presented a tabula-
ion for a one-year period covering rs
titles showing the average haulto each
nd the tons of coal consumed in a
ear.
THE popular mind and the railroad
alter should be disabused of the idea
hat coal is a necessary foundation to
traffic." said the witness. THE coal
lovement is spasmodic. Instead of be-
lg adopted to filling out our trains.