The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-11-20
RAILROADS WANT
new RATE BOSS
WOULD SWAP POSTOFFTCE DE-
PARTMENT FOR COMMERCE
COMMISSION

! o.
81 All of the small independent rail-
roads of the Pacific coast and the
Rocky Mountain district have COM
bined to make an effort to have the
interstate commerce commission fix
the pay which they shall receive for
carrying the mails.
The organization, the Western
Association of Short Line railroads,
comes to the front with this n
nouncement of policy. Congressional
action is required to make a change,
and to get this the association is as
sured of the cooperation of all the
other little roads throughout the
United States.
They want the government. as a
shipper of mail, to be regulated like
other shippers.
The association. of which d. NJ.
Swobe of the McCloud River rail-
road is president and c. M. Oddie OF
the Nevada Central is secretary,
points out:
That the government regulates the
rate Oh IdTe " DC paw W pUSSN"A
gers: it tells the express companies
what they may charge; it fixes the
rate for freight. The only other con-
siderable source Of income for the
railroads is for carrying mail. This
is fixed by the ~postoffice depart
ment. Weighing is done every four
years. and the little roads OF the
west, it so happens. are to carry all
the mail that comes to them until
1918, by weighing that was done In
the spring of 1914. The amount or
parcel post matter has more thar
doubled since the spring of 1914
thus taking away freight and ex'
press revenue from these roads, but
the government pays no more n
will pay no ore for the increase CT
business until 1918.
rhe situation has become threat
ing Tor these small roads; at best
none of them are paying more than
the amount of interest on the'r
bonds; some OF them are in the
hands of a receiver. They are now
carving such things as flour and
cheese and butter from creameries
AID even coal as parcel post matter.
What alarms them still more Is
tb, announcement of the postmaster
general that he will attempt at the
rext session of congress to securse
the massage of the so-called MOOD
ti,l." which failed of passage at 'le
last session. This bill is so drawn
nat it would ancu; cut in two the
T1esent revenu, I" tie roads. Al Tue
tame time tn : measure compels NE
roads TO ca-,v mail whether they
, ;sh to or no., with a penalty OF
$4,000 a day f." refusal. BY uae
t-rms of this Jill tie Icetofflce de
nartment is given Tower to or1er
Wat sort Of facIl,:'rt il wants AM
,,e compan &C G',s st co'Aply or '"f
5 900 a day. >
h Western association, as!ue
from making it's campaign to nav
the interstate commerce commlssio"
fix the rates for the government as
it does for any other shipper Is AFTER
some additional relief.
The association desires that the
weighing of mail shall be done at
least once a year, and would even
nrefer to have the payment regulated
Inv the daily weight. 1t wants the
roads relieved from what is caileo
terminal service, that is from car
rving mail between the postoiilces
and railroad stations. The associa-
tion sees no reason why the smaii
roads should be compelled to do this
any more than they should be com"
pelled to deliver every passenger 10
his home by taxicab, or that they
should be compelled to deliver
freight in any part Of a city.
Finally, the association wants the
nresent law so changed thai when
railroads furnish less than 40 fees
If space in a car for a railway a
ing postoffice, the roads shall De
Maid for the use of the space. AT
present they get nothing unless io
feet or more is so used. MOST OF
the demand for space of less tnan
40 feet falls on the little roads ana
they see no reason why they snouio
give this car space for nothing wnen
the big roads are paid for the use
of cars.