The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-24
Eastern Lines File Formal Pc
tition for Horizontal Advance
Exceeding 10 Per Cent
THINK PUBLIC IS
WILLING TO PAY BILL
c. & Q. Officials Declare Add
ed Costs Under New Law Is
100000 a Year N. & W.
Says Advance $8,O0O.000

Washington March 2S.--Thc rail
roads Of the country tonight began
their fight for increased freight rates
to meet the financial demands inn
posed by the Adamso1 eight hour day
law The big Eastern trunk line
roads representing the lines east OF
the Mississippi river and north of the
Potomac and Ohio rivers. flied a
formal petition fof ? horizontal in
crease in freight rates, which man
apers of the Western lines tonight en-
lorsed While the detailed figures on
the increase were rot announced, II
wa understood that the roads asked
for an Increase amounting 30 be-
tween ten and afteen per cent of the
present rates.
The petition for the horizontal in
crease was filed by the Eastern roads,
bu; tonight President Rea, Of the
Pennsylvania. received telegram
which announced the adherence Of thu
Western trunk lines to proposals put
forward by the lines in the East.
southern Roads Will Concur.
The Southern railroads are expected
% concur in the representations CON
tanned in the Eastern railroads pc
'ition for higher rates The group
Of railroad presidents now in Wash
ington in charge of the case before
the commission are in communlCa-
ton with the. railway chiefs Of other
sections and committee represent
Ing the other lines is to come TO
Washington to present their briefs
In an attempt to expedite decision
~ the case. the railroads, in their pc
tition TODAY asked the commission to
L zee of re 81
NIT the carriers to merel, amend theis
present tariffs. writing in the gem
cra' increase. rather than go to the
trouble of preparing and fling entire
/, ~ new rate schedules.
Think Public Ii willing.
In their statement "a the commls-
SION the railroad presidents frankly
ststed as one OF their reasons for de-
string haste is their belief that the
American public Just now is In the
mood to applaud a genera freiEh'
rate increase. They said that the
peopie now are willing to PAY the
price for immunity from general
railroad strike which the Aiamson
eight-hour Law brought about. They
want to have their rate increase
gra nted before the spell passes. fear
ing tina; in subsequent and Calmer
times formidable opposition 10 rate
increases might develop from the
shippers
In the adjudication OF the case a
prominent position viii be gwen TO
the argument on behalf Of the rail
roads that unless All increase he
granted. railroad securities viii de-
line in value ana the public, there
eore. will lose the money it has in
vested In railroad stocks,
The biggest railroads in the East,
such as the Pennsylva the BaitI-
more and Ohio, the New York Cen
tra1 and the New Haven, will do their
Utmost to have tine increase granted
quickly. That they Will be successful
is not seriously doubted here.
Added Cost to C. d .. S6.OoO.0o0.
The Adanson eight hour Law and
other rising costs of railroads opera
tons will increase the expenses of
the Chesapeake and Ohio <6.o0o.ooo
this year over last year. and the OK
penses of Norfolk and Western S.
o00. 900. according to General Counsel
Bronson, of the Chesapeake and Ohio.
and President Johnson OF the Norfolk
and Western, who appeared before the
interstate commerce commission to-
day to urge approval Of the higher
coal rates to Richmond and Norfolk
These men declared that their lines
mus; have more revenue IL they are TO
continue to give efficient service.
A W. Thompson, OF the Baltimore
and Ohio \ reply 20 question, said
the various 1 tfic officials of the rail
roads are nov at work revising the
rates and the his aer traffic will short
" be laid before the commission for
ii sanction.
The request for higher ecal rates
is the first step in the movement for
general increase in all rates.
A sharp colloquy between r. Wal
ton Moore, one of the railroad coun-
sci. and r. j. McVann. representing
the New River coal interests. occurred
today over the ownership of the Nor
folk and Western. MIR. McNann init
mated that the Pennsylvania. through
its influence in the Norfolk and West
ern, is responsible for a larger ad
vance in rates 10 Virginia Tdewater
points than the Pennsylvania and Bal
timore and Ohio fixed to Baltimore
and Philadelphia on coal.
Mr.. Moore denounced such an in
timation as "demsgogy" and declared
that rates on the Norfolk and West
ern are hxed regardless OF the Penn
nxl ,.n to- iv,t. IN