The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-13
SWEEPING REDUCTION
in COAL RATES
Interstate Commerce Commission Holds
That Carriers Have Been Guilty OF
Giving Illegal Preference.

| oifiuS ihcBdi flCiSAehsS'
Washington, ID. c., Aug l3.-Sweepine
reductions in the anthracite freight
rates of railroads handling so per cent
of the country's anthracite production
were ordered yesterday by the interstate
commerce commission in decision which
held the carriers guilty of giving illegal
preferential treatment to allied coal COM
panies. In addition to prescribing gen.
orally lower rates regarded as reason
able, the commission required the roads
| to establish through rates and publish
joint through rates to be paid by all
shippers.
Commissioner Harlan, the only mem
Der dissenting from the majority, con-
tended that while modification of many
of the present coal rates was justified,
yesterdays action was inconsistent in
view of the recent authorization of a
horizontal increase of five per cent. in
rates for virtually all other traffic.
The decision follows long and com
prehensive investigation of the rates and
practices governing the transportation of
coal from the Pennsylvania anthracite
fields ordered June 10, 1912. As summed
up by the commission, the decision held
THAT the rates on anthracite coal,
prepared general domestic sizesl and
pea and smaller sizes, in carloads, APP
plicable for producing districts in the
Wyoming, Lehigh and Schuylkill regions
in the state of Pennsylvania to tide
water ports and certain eastern interior
points are unreasonable, and the rates
on anthracite coal, prepared and pea
sizes, from said districts to other interior
points are unreasonable, and reasonable
rates fixed for the future.
"That the respondents by means of
trackage arrangements and the free
to junction points in the
mining regions of coal exchanged by
their allied coal companies, have ex
tended the advantages of interline trans
portation to their coal companies, to the
prejudice of other coal shippers to whom
Interline transportation at joint rates
has been denied. Respondents required |
to establish through routes and publish |
Joint through rates applicable thereto.
"The anthracite coal is a low grade |
commodity, which is transported in vast
quantities in trains of maximum ton
mage. The tonnage loaded in each car is
much greater than the loading of most
,ther classes of traffic. Most of the an
.hracite tonnage is shipped from col
ieries whose daily production, measured
n carloads, is very large. These condi-
ions tend toward lower operating costs.
THAT concessions and offsets granted
~ respondents to their allied coal COM
,anies in the form of interest charges,
oyalty earnings, the use of valuable
property at inadequate rentals, the free
se of the carriers funds and credit or
y other means, are as pernicious as di-
ect cash rebates. Such concessions and
ffsets are unlawful.
THAT lateral allowances paid to a
oal shipper in accordance with an agree
rent, alleged to be additional compen- !
alton for the use Of facility fur
ished by the shipper, are unlawful re- I,
ates."
Lines to which the decision directly ap-
lies are the Central Railroad of New
ersey; the Philadelphia & Reading;
elaware, Lackswanna g. Western; lie.
Ugh Valley; Erie; Wilkes Barre & East
m; New York, Susquehanna & West.
N; New York, Ontario & Western; the
the Northern Central, and
le Delaware & Hudson company.
The history Of the development Of an
lracite mining, according 10 the deci-
on, presents a series of persistent un.
Ioeessful struggles by the individual OPP
ators against the conditions imposed
, the anthracite railroads. The rates
the interior points for similar dis.
nces, both interstate and intrastate,
e higher than the rates 10 tidewater
The conduct Of these carriers the
cision concluded, extending over
ng period Of years, in granting to their
lied coal companies concessions from N
q offsets against their established tar.
rates, presents very strong evidence
at the rates on anthracite coal which
ese carriers established, are excessive q
Following are few Of the important m
auctions ordered: u
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western y
ilroad, TO Hoboken, Paterson, Newark M
'onton and Washington, \. j., pre- ~
red sizes, from Sl.00 per ton 10 si45. OF
35, Sl.40, sl.20 and 95 cents 10 those
ints respectively. other sizes from 81 q 10
sl35, Sl.22, sl.30. sl.09 and sa cents VI
Binghamton, Wayerly and Elmira. ~
", prepared cut Sl.05 10 90 cents. e
rs and Sl.25, other sizes. from sl so Gu
- cents, sl.05 and sll4, respectively. r.
Corning, Syracuse, n. ", prepared. en-
IN Sl.90 90 sl.35 and sl.40. smaller ha
- cut from si65 20 sl.l7 and 81 p. M
q Lancaster and Utica, prepared. s. mi
Al on ana Al sO. ,.bcr si1cs a. :. su
66 10 sl.3l ~
Delaware a Hudson. Windsor. New ~
rk, prepared. si.65 20 - cents! small ~
sl.s0 to - CENTS. Albany, Troy, and ~
\. Y prepared. from ~
a5 to sllGO; smaller, from $50 10