Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-10-15
CONTROLS RATE AND SERVICE

Jun nO10 M e HVO o6nVOO6
Railroad and Warehouse Commission
Prevents Determinations by RAFT
ways and Telephone Companies.
BY Charles z. EunquIst, Railroad and
Warehouse Commissioner.
One of the important branches Of
our state government is the railroad
and Warehouse Commission. This de-
partment has been in existence since
1879, and consists Of three members
who are elected for . term of six
years. Originally its Jurisdiction Wis
confined to the supervision of COM
mon carriers, but succeeding legisia.
lures have increased it's duties. At
the present time it's 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 a 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.
Prsscribss Lower Rates.
The Commission prescribed class
and commodity rates in 1906 represent
Ing an average decrease Of 1926 per
cent in the former and 10 per cent in
the latter. These were litigated and
sustained in the Minnesota Rate
Cases, as a result of which tho people
enjoy lower rates and the shippers
have been paid refunds amounting to
about $2,750, 100000 up to the present
time. ::
In 1913 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 or.
cept the Chicago Great Western and
the Minneapolis & st. Louis.
Regulates Telephone Service. .
Many questions arise affecting sta,
tons, agents, spur tracks and the ser
vice given by freight and passenger
trains. The control over telephone
companies was effective on July LIST
and over storage warehouses on Octo.
Der LIST. 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 tSfore the law
went into effect, and tbs placed thu
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 10 no
question but what tho regulation will
be beneficial to tho public and corpora.
tons.
Controls Weights and Measures.
All scales. weights and measures
used commercially II the state, In.
GLIDING 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 its 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 the sample with
out knowing the ownership thereof.
The grain is weighed by men who are
under a 100000 bond to the state
and who are under close supervision.
Information concerning the loss OF
grain in transit is furnished shippers.
This service is of utmost Importance
to the producers and dealers because
it insures fair and impartial grades
and weights. Practically the same
service is given to hay and straw
which reaches the terminals. All
commission merchants who deal in
grain and agricultural products are H.
censed by the state and the Railroad
and Warehouse Commission is per-
mitted by law to investigate any CON-
plants that may be filed by interested
parties and to make such decision %
Justice and equity require