New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-02-02
EXPLAINS CUTTING
OF EXPRESS RATES
SECRETARY OF WAREHOUSE
COMMISSION SAYS NEW ULM
HAS NO KICK.
LOCAL AGENTS STILL CHARGING
CUSTOMERS ON BASIS OF
OLD RATES.

Although the state railroad and ware
house commission has ordered a re-
duction in express rates between points
in Southern Minnesota and New Ulm
no orders have been received in this city
authorizing the agents to make the
changes, according to Agent Brust of the
American Express company. The old
rates are still in effect and any reductions
to which the shipper may be entitled will
have to 60 through the red tape of the
head Offices in St. Paul. Mr.. Brust
states that he is aware of the fact that
changes have been made, but has no
authority to make them. =, - -:
The article in the Review of a few
weeks ago, calling attention to the fact
that changes had been ordered by the
state commission, brought forth a letter
from the secretary of the commission
to the editor of the Review, in which that
official states that the newspapers of the
Twin Cities did not publish the correct
version of the reduction at the time it
was made but placed their own con-
struction upon the matter, which, &C
cording to the secretary, has led to the
confusion of the general public. The
Review article, as was stated at the time,
was based upon the articles printed in
the Twin City papers.
The secretary's letter reads that "as
far as the rates from Minneapolis and St.
Paul are concerned, New Ulm is not
interested, for the simple reason that
they have had up to the present time the
same rates, namely frst-class, 80 cents
per 100 pounds, but it was only where
there was a different rate to points in
Minnesota from Minneapolis and St.
Paul that the commission required the
express companies to make the rates
- from these two cities the same, the
lowest basis of rates to govern.
"Where it will affect New Ulm is in the
reduction in the special commodities
consisting of bread, butter, eggs, fresh
and green fruits, berries, green vegetables
meats (fresh and cured), veal, sausage
poultry Give or dressed), and fish. UP
to the present time your people have
been paying on the basis of rs per cent OF
the frst-class rates; now the Commission
have reduced the same to 60 per cent
of the frst-class rates. To illustrate
where you have been shipping any OF
the above commodities between New
Ulm and Jackson, Blue Earth, Granite
Falls, FaribauIt, Redwood Falls, WilImar
St. Cloud, St. Paul and Minneapolis, you
have been paying on the basis of 6S
cents per 100 pounds. The new rate
will be on the basis of So cents per 100
pounds. Again, between New Ulm and
Pipestone you have been paying 81
cents per 100 pounds; the new rate will
be SO cents per 100 pounds; or again
between New Ulm and Luverne you have
been paying $1.O5 per 100 pounds, the
new rate will be 83 cents per 100 pounds
! The above will give you an illu.
stration which applies between New
Ulm and all stations in Minnesota or
these commodities. Again, please be
advised that the &c he and block system
has not been abolished by the Com
mission but is adopted by most of the
states in the Union SO as to harmonic
with the interstate rates.
II
The Comfrey creamery, recently de.
t.oyed by fire, will be rebuilt by the