The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-10-15
CONTROLS RATE AND SERVICE
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
Prevents Discrimination by Rail.
ways and Telephone companlss.
Dy charlss &. EImquist, Railroad ant
Warehouse Commissioner.

y ~uATSOU u. etmQu I8ts nSjIroSo Sno
Warehouse Commissioner.
One OF tho important branches OF
our state government IL the Railroad
and Warehouse Commission. This de.
partmsnt has been in existence since
1872. and consists of three membera
who are elected for q term of six
years. Originally it's Jurisdiction was
confined to the supervision Of com
mon carriers, but succeeding legisla.
lures have increased its duties. AT
the present time its activities extend
to the control over the rates and ser.
vice of railroad and express com.
panies. telephone companies and stor.
age warehouses. Broadly speaking.
no corporation can change rate, rule
or regulation without the consent OF
the Commission, and the Commission
can after investigation make and re.
Quire the publication Of reasonable
rates.
Prescribes Lower Ratios.
The Commission prescribed class
and commodity rates in 1905 represent
ing an average decrease of 1914 pei
cent in the former and 10 per cent II
the latter. These were litigated and
sustained in the Minnesota Rate
Cases, as a result of which the people
enjoy lower rates and the shippers
have been paid refunds amounting to
about $2.750,000.0O up to the present
time.
|! In 1918 the Commission made and
published distance tariff freight rates
for all classes and commodities NOV.
ing within the state and they are now
being used by all of the railroads ex.
cept the Chicago Great Western and
the Minneapolis & st. Louis.
Regulates Telephone Service.
Many questions arise affecting sta,
lions. agents, spur tracks and the scr.
vice given by freight and passenger
trains The control over telephone
companies was effective on July LIT
and over storage warehouses on Octo.
Der 1st. The law Is very broad and
gives the Commission ample power to
regulate service, prevent discrimina-
tons and enforce reasonable charges.
Some Of the large telephone companies
raised their toll rates before the law
went into effect, and this placed the
burden upon the Commission of deter.
mining reasonable rate after an in,
vestigation and hearing. In respect to
telephone and storage companies the
work of the Commission Is necessarily
in a formative state, but there Is No
question but what the regulation win
be beneficial to the public and corpora.
tons.
Controls Weights and Measures.
All scales, weights and measures
used commercially in tho state, in.
Guiding track scales and the scales
upon which grain is weighed, are un.
der the control of the Commission
Skilled men travel over the state test
ing platform and smaller scales and
weighing devices; railroad track
scales are examined by experts who
travel with 100000 pound test cars
and sufficient heavy weights. Grain
scales in the terminals are constant.
ly supervised to insure their accuracy.
The Commission through it, grain in
spection department grades and
weighs all grain that enters or leaves
the terminals and also gives the same
service at many mills and elevators
at interior points. The employees are
obliged to get fair, average samples Of
grain from the car and the inspectors
pass judgment upon tho sample with
out knowing the ownership thereof.
The grain is weighed by men who are
under q 100000 bond to the state
and who are under close supervision.
Information concerning the loss of
grain in transit 10 furnished shippers.
This service 10 of utmost importance
to the producers and dealers because
It insures fair and impartial grades
and weights. Practically the same
service 10 given to hoy and straw
which reaches the terminals. An
commission merchants who deal In
grain and agricultural products are II.
censed by tho state and the Railroad
and Warehouse; Commission 10 Per
nitted by law to investigate any cen.
plants that may be fled by Interested
PARTIES and 70 make auch lsaiai1a O.
11a1tae o1A oGn1fJ souA ~ T..