Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-21

cal firms have been assisted by home
capital secured through the good Of
fees of the association members.
| An information Bureau.
The association, it is fitting here to
say. has become in fact bureau OF
information, service and publicity.
Hardly day in the year goes by with
out one or more requests from citizens
of Ottumwa as well as mail inquiries
for information about Ottumwa and
vicinity all of which Is cheerfully
given. The association rooms are op-
en- from a. m. to $50 p. m, and even
ings when necessary and are offered to
our citizens free Of charge for public
or semi-public meetings. They have
been made use Of in addition to the
regular business of the association, on
an average once each day for the en-.
tire year, and may be had In the III.
ture for any public cause in need OF
such quarters when sufficient notice Is
| given. Numerous statistical booklets
of Ottumwa have been sent to all parts
of the country, and many articles set
ting forth the advantages Of Ottumwa
have been prepared for the files Of H.
braries, information bureaus, etc, and
for publication in directories, automo-
bile guides, trade journals and news
papers.
Has Freight Rate Bureau.
Freight Rate Committee-A great
many changes were made in freight
rates during the calendar year JUST
closed, and in the matter of adjust
ments this department has been fairly
successful.
Some of these adjustments were
brought about by orders OF the inter.
state commerce commission, anu
some through the individual work OF
this department with the officials or
the various Ottumwa roads.
1t has always been the desire or
this bureau to bring about the desired
changes amicably, and to a certain
extent this has been accomplished IN
the attempt to secure equitable rates
for Ottumwa our efforts are often
times misconstrued. 1t is not our In
tent to antagonize the carriers. We
have always been willing to meet
them half way on the various PROPOSE
tons; by this policy we have accom-
plished considerable without the ald
of outside help.
The year just closed saw most
sweeping readjustments OF class rates
between OttumWa and points In the
territory bounded by the Indiana
Illinois state line on the west, by the
Ohio and Potomac rivers on the south
and the Atlantic coast on the east.
These reductions went into effect April
/, 1914.
While this adjustment was the most
drastic and thorough revision OF tne
rates ever accomplished, the OttumWa
shippers did not obtain all that they
are entitled to in the way Of equitable
rates.. and a petition Is now In the
hands of the interstate commerce com
mission requesting a rehearing Of the
case. which, if granted, will permit q
further presentation Of the case, ana
we feel confident that case OF such
strength can be presented that VIII IN
sure rates much more equitable than
those granted, effective April 1, last.
The class rates between Ottumwa
and Denver, Colo, Salt Lake city,
Utah, and points in western Kansas
and western Nebraska. were rear
ranged. These changes, however, were
not as important as the changes IN
the rates from che east on account OF
the immense tonnage that originates
in that territory.
Everyone, perhaps, is familiar with
the request of the carriers IN the
eastern territory for a general uniform
advance in class and commodity rates.
Part of these advances were granite !
them, effective October 26, 1914, and
the remainder of their request for a
general five per cent advance Will BE-
come effective very shortly.
Even with the granting OF this five
per cent request the carriers have
from time to time advanced various
commodity rates, iron and steel
articles, wrought iron pipe, fruit and
vegetables, salt, sugar and coffee, be-
ing the principal commodities upon
which the advances were assessed.
Protests were filed by this depart
ment against these advances with the
| interstate commerce commission, but
upon hearing both the protestants and
! the defendants the commission al
lowed the advances proposed. BY
this it may be seen that it is u give
and take proposition, with the com.
mission always willing to give both
sides ample time in which to present
facts and arguments in support OF
their contentious.
For years the Kansas brick manu-
facturers, located in the Kansas
natural gas belt, enjoyed very low
rates. on their product when shipped
! into Iowa, thus making it impossible
| for the Iowa brick manufacturer to
meet the Kansas competition.
These Kansas-lowa rates were ad-
vauced and this Immediately brought
| a protest from the Kansas brick men.
but upon hearing the case, the COM
mission sustained the contention of
the local brick manufacturer, and as
result larger field of business is
now open to the Iowa brick manu-
facturers.
Through the efforts of this depart.
ment advances in the local jobbing
rates from Ottumwa to surrounding
territory was defeated. All of these
proposed advances were taken up with
the proper railroad officials and after
a few friendly conferences the old
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