The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-03-26
EAST PALATKA GETS
LOWER FREIGHT RATES
Frank S. Browning Wins His
Long Fight for Better
Rates.

AtutNos
Several weeks ago the Palatl1a
News told of the fight being made by
Frank S. Browning of East Palatka
to secure lower freight rates for East
Palatka, where the rate has been
more than double the rate charged to
Palatka, or to San Mateo.
Mr.. Browning had long corres-
pondence with the Florida Railway
Commission over this matter, and fl
nally, aboIt six weeks ago the Rail
way Commissioners came to East
Palatka and held meeting in Mr..
Browning's store to which all interest
ed parties, including representatives
of the railroad were invited. The
case was submitted to the Commits
sioners by Mr.. Browning in careful
manner, and all the questions at is-s
sue carefully gone into. The COM
mission then adjourned with the pro-
mise that they would give the matter
most thorough investigation and
would probably issue an order.
The order has been issued. 1t gives
to East Palatka the much sought af-
tier relief, and Mr.. Browning, who has
been the one means Of securing it, is
being congratulated by all the people
of the town. Here is the order of
the Florida Railroad Commission:
Order No. ATT, File No. 3717.
Before the Railroad Commissioners of
the State of Florida.
In the Matter of Complaint against
the Florida East Coast Railway
Company for discrimination against
East Palatka:
In pursuance Of Notice No. SO, dat
ed the 5th day of February 1915, this
matter came on for consideration on
the 17th day of February 1915, at
nine o'clock in the moring, at the
store of F. S. Browning, in the Town
of East Palatka. The complaint
against the Florida East Coast Rail-
way Company was previously made
in writing and said company duly no.
titled of the time and place of con-
Isiderering said complaint; said COM
pany further acknowledged receipt
of said notice and agreed to be repre-
sented at the hearing. But the COM
| pdUy IlOt Dtl1lR ISpI CSCuICt, CuC 1soitt
road Commissioners took. evidence as
to the discrimination against East
Palatka in the matter Of freight
rates by the Florida East Coast Rail
way Company, and made personal iR-
spection of the location of East Pa
latka and San Mateo with respect to
water competition from Jacksonville,
and the location and distance of both
of said places from Jacksonville and
the st. JOHNS River. Thereafter
upon request of the Florida East
Coast Railway Company for the privi-
,lege of being heard or allowed to file
written statement, the Railroad
Commissioners did, on the 26th day
of February 1915, notify said Florida
East Coast Railway Company that it
could be heard on the subject at ten
o'clock in the morning on March the
4th, 1915, at their office in Tallahas-
see. And said company, by its Vice
ten statement. And thereupon the
Commissioners took the said matter
under advisement.
And now on this day, the said mat
ter came on for further consideration,
and the Commissioners being fully
advised in the premises, do find
from the evidence taken in the man
ner aforesaid and from personal in
Ivestigatio of conditions that the
freight rates by boat from Jackson
, vile to East Palatka and San Mateo
are the same, that San Mateo is about
one mile from the landing on the St.
, Johns River where freight is dish
charged by boat from Jacksonville,
: while East Palatka is about one half
mile from the landing on the st.
Johns River where freight is dis
charged by boat from Jacksonville;
, that San Mateo is four miles further
| from Jacksonville on the railroad of
, the Florida East Coast Railsoad Com
pany than is East Palatka, and that
the Florida East Coast Railwy Com
pany is maintaining lower freight
rates from Jacksonville to San Mateo
, than from Jacksonville to East Pa
, latka, though the distance from Jack
sonville to East Palatka is included
, within the longer distance from Jack
sonville to San Mateo; that such high
er freight rates to East Palatka are
an unjust discrimination against said
EaSC Idlathd anu are d NloldGlOn VI
law.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED
AND ADJUDGED by the Railroad
Commissioners of the State of Flori-
da that the Florida East Coast Rail-
way Company shall, before the first
day of April, 1915, cease such unjust
discrimination against said East Pa
latka, and shall by said last mention
ed date put into effect freight rates
from Jacksonville to East Palatka
which shall in no particular exceed the
freight rates upon like articles from
Jacksonville to San Mateo.
DONE AND ORDERED by the
Railroad Commissioners of the State
Iof Florida in session at their office
in the City of Tallahassee, this 18th
day of March, A. D. 1915.
R. HUDSON BURR,