The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-04-03
Before the Interstate commers
Commission Of
Chicago
Commerce


grain now prevail in some localities
in the central west would result from
a number Of the tariffs filed by wes-
tern railways in their petition for
a readjustment in rates on certain
commodities, according to testimony
placed before the Interstate Com
merce Commission in this city dur
ing the past week by +. b. Towns
end, traffic manager of the Minneap
oils & St.. Louis Railroad, of Min
neapolis.
Mr.. Townsend appeared as one OF
the final witnesses in justification Of
an advance of 1 cent per hundred
pounds on grain and grain products
one of the several commodities on
which advances are asked, in order
to bring to more selfsustaining bas
is such articles Of freight as are con-
sidered on an unreasonably low bas
is. The aggregate new revenue hop
ed for from the entire readjustment
on the GA railways operating $4,000
miles of line is s10,0OO,O00 or about
/ IL per cent of last years freight
revenue.
"Such reductions" stated the wit
ness, would be the result of the In.
auguration of commodity rates where
only class rates apply now. There is
practically no increase on grain in
South Dakota and Minnesota, as 1t
all moves to Minneapolis, Chicago,
Duluth and Milwaukee, where no ad-
vance is asked from those states. Ac
tual reductions are effected by the
establishment of a new line Of rates
from South Dakota to Omaha, where
commodity rates have never prevailed
before"
L. E. Wettling, statisti,ian for the
roads, submitted detailed figures
showing that the total increased rev.
enues on grain for all the roads
submitted detailed figures showing
that the total increased revenues on
grain for all the roads would be 81,
252,493. or only 1.3 of 1 per cent Of
their total freight revenue.
Five cents per year measures the
additional expense to which each
inhabitant would be put, in the states
affected, by the proposed increased
rates on bituminous coal asked by
western and southwestern railways
to render the coal traffic. considered
one of the most Improbable handled
by the railways, more nearly self
sustaining, according to testimony by
Eugene McAuliffe, General Coal
Agent of the st. Louis & San Fran
cisco Railroad, of St. Louis, who
took the stand before the Commission
to describe the advances asked and
and the territory affected, previous
the introduction by other witnesses
of testimony as TO the abnormal diff
ficulties surrounding railway opera
tion for coal traffic.
THE average increase asked II
the western territory" said Mr..
McAuliffe, SIS 7.95 cents per ton
which would add about 140 of l cent
per net ton mile to the cost of haul
ing. The total amount of the pro
posed increase, including all roads
affected, would be $l,226,122. This
represents an increase OF only 49,
per cent and would entail an addition
OF about cents per capita yearly
to the expenses of the population II
the states affected.
Goal Is not carrying its share o
the burden for many reasons. First
there is an enormous empty haul
the percentage of empty haul to load
ed being nearly 100 per cent. Sec
ondly there Is tremendous spread
in the volume of business, with com
missions, states and courts all de
handing that we be equipped TO
the maximum. Thirdly, weathe
changes or an impending strike ma!
increase the consumption Of coal oy
er night by % per cent at the SAM
time as the transportation ability o
the roads is cut 80 per cent, yet W,
must meet the situation promptly
j. M. DAILY, former General Super
intendent OF. Transportation of tn
Illinois Central Railroad, said tina
bituminous coal as predominatin
article of freight is a liability, rathe
than an asset to the railways in Ger
trail western coal producing states
Great fiuctuation in the traffic, leavin
idle equipment during the most @
the year; the peak of traffic comm
in the winter, when operation
most costly; excessive empty ca
mileage and tremendous damage I
equipment, we're only few of tn
reasons cited.
From 81 100000 to sS,0OO,OOO il