Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-24
ASK GENERAL INCREASE
IN ALL FREIGHT RATES
Chief Railroads OF East Petition In
terstate Commerce Commission
for Immediate Relief.
SOUTH AND WEST TO FOLLOW
Proposed Advances Probably VIII
Range Between 10 and 10 Per
Cent-Passenger Fares Not Affect
ed-Face Enormous Decreases.

WASHINGTON. March o3.-The chief
the Interstate Commerce Commission
to amend its rules to permit a general
increase in all freight rates
Western railroads notified the COM
mission that they. too. would ask for
general Increase in freight rates. and
probably will follow the Eastern roads
in asking for /; suspension of the rules
Southern roads are expected to take
similar action
The proposed increases probably will
range between 10 and Is per cent
In their application to the commits
sion for Il suspension OF the rules. the
Eastern roads represent that they are
sustaining and threatened With enor-
nous decreases In net operating in
come. due to large increases i'm wages
In cost OF fuel coal. other material.
supplies and equipment and TO In
creased cost of capital"
substantial increases in freight
rates are impcratively demanded hy
tion" the application reads. The
emergency requires that these incrcas ses
should be made in the most expeditions
manner. and with the least possible
delay"
FOR SPECIFIC INCREASES
ON COAL. COKE AND ORE
The tentative plan of the railroads.
so far as disclosed. is to request ap.
proval Of fat increase in freight
rates on all commodities except coal.
coke and ore. Upon these three items
proposed specified increases of certain
sums per ton would be named.
Passenger fares would not be af-
fected.
The railroads application to- day
merely seeks TO expedite proceedings
when the proposcd increases shall have
been filed with the commission. Under
the usual procedure. tho roads would
hle tariffs proposing increases which
probably would be suspended from four
to six months or longer during the
period or investigation as to tho reason
ableness Of the proposed rates In
what the railroads characterize as an
emergency. they seek to eliminate the
delay as far as possible. and request
that the rules be suspended in order
that the proposed increases may be-
come effective without suspension and.
il possible. upon less than the REQUIRED
thirty days notice.
Inasmuch as the burden OF increased
operating costs has fallen upon East
crn roads. II is assumed that the per-
centage of increase asked for by these
lines Will be greater than I'm the case
of Western and Southern roads I'm
official opinions tonight were that the
Eastern roads would ask for a II per
cent increase. and that the increases
asked for by Southern and Western
roads would he approximately 10 per
cent.
WOULD BRING ADDITIONAL
REVENUE OF S3"5.0HO. 900
|. An average Of - per cent through
out the country, returns to The Inter
state Commerce Commission show.
would bring the railroads an addi-
tional revenue of approximately s325.-
100000 annually on the basis OF busi-
ness done last year. Total receipts Of
the railroads for 1916 from freight traf-
fic approximated s2.750,OJ0. .OOO
Expenses OF the railroads. the re-
turns show, increased rapidly during
the closing months OF the year and
| early in the present year. This. II is
explained. was due largely to the fact
that until the latter part of 1915 the
railroads purchased their fuel coal and
| other supplies on contracts made be-
| fore the recent upward swing In prices
had reached It's greatest momentum.