The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-02-04
CAPE COAL RATE
HEARING IS SET
FOR FEBRUARY IL
Interstate Commerce Com
mission Orders Inquiry to
Be Held In St. Louis.
CAPE GIRARDEAU TO
TESTIFY THIS TIME
Commission Says Cities Must
Furnish Facts-Frisco To
Give Rebates.
Special Dispatch to The Tribune.

Special Dispatch to The Tribune.
Washington, Jan. 29.-The Inter-
state Commerce Commission today set
February II for hearing at St. Louis
before Examiner MattingIy on the pro-
posed advances of coal rates between
Illinois and various Missouri points.
Among the cases to come up at the
hearing will be the rehearing on the
! plea of the Illinois Central, the Chi
cago and Eastern Illinois, the St.
Louis and Southwestern. These were
reoDened after the Interstate Com
merce Commission had formally grant
ed the railroads such increases on
coal as they had applied for.
Cape Gir&rdeau, Chaf'ec, Rockview
and Hazel Spur were among the Mis-
souri, cities which complained of the
coal rate increase and which induced
the Commission to grant 4 new hear
| ing. Representatives from these cities
will be expected to appear before the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
| give reasons why the requests of the
railroads should not be granted.
When the original hearing was held
in Chicago last year, the cities which
are now complaining, failed to attend
She meeting, and the increase was vir-
tually granted by default. In the
event that the towns arc not represent
ID at the coming inquiry, the appeal
Of the railroads will be granted, not
TO be reopened.
1t was stated by the secretary of the
Commission today that Cape Girar-
deau was formally notified in writing
Of the proposed hearing, yet It failed
20 register a protest again.:t the in
cTease either in writing or by formally
appearing before the commission.
The coal rate increase to Cape Girar-
deau was effected by an agreement be-
tween tic St. Louis & San Francisco
railroad and the Chicago and Eastern
Illinois. The latter hauis the coal
from the mines at Marion, H., to
ThebeS and then crosses the MissiS-
sippi river, where it transfers the
haul to the Frisco, which runs into
Cape Girardcau. The tariff is in the
nature of participating compensa-
ton.
The principal reason why this case
was reopcned was the fact that the in
crease virtually sets aside the fran
chise the Frisco Railroad holds with
The city OF Cape Girardeau. Under
the terms of this agreement, the
Frisco Railroad promises to deliver
coal to Cape Girardeau for sixty cents
ton. The new schedule, which has
been in effect since last autumn, calls
for IS cent tariff, or an increase of
twenty-five percent over the rate spe
Gifted in the contract between the rail-
AOdt anu the Guy.
If the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, in its second hearing, suspends
the new rate and orders the old sched-
ule restored, the railroad will be COM
PEELED to rebate the coal buyers to the
amount of the overcharge. 1t is I'M
'lorstood that the Frisco Railroad con-
ours in the views of the city Of Cape
Girardeau and has expressed willing
ness to restore the old rate. The rail
road contends that it was forced to
concur in the request of the Chicago
and Eastern Illinois for an increase
because of a working agreement which
exists between these railroads.