Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-30
|. C. C. REFUSES
RATE INCREASES
ASKED BY ROADS
Continued from First Pace

Continued from FRS, Pace
The great majority Of them show a
healthy condition from. financial and
operating standpoints.
The needs of certain weak lines.
however. cannot justify a course of
action that is unwarranted by the con-
dition OF the large number Of strong
and successful lines.
The general operating results.
looked at in the large, through 4 series
Of years show, on the whole. substan-
tial Improvement. general prosperity
and. by comparison with former years.
ample financial resources with which
to conduct transportation.
Using the actual figures for the first
four months of the present calendar
year, ii would appear that although
the gross revenue for the carriers in
the Eastern district would exceed that
for the calendar year 1915 by approx
imately : per cent. the operating in
come per mile of road will be hut
s5.ino. as against SI.7s2 in 1916. This
is only - per cent as much net income
per mile OF DAD in 1917 for performing
about !0I Ter cent OF the service per-
formed in 1916.
Tho returns for the first four
months of the calendar year 1917 for
the roads in the southern district and
in the western district disclose diff
ferent tendency and outlook Common
alike 10 the three districts is the prob
able increase in the gross operating
revenue. Thus the first four months
disclose average operating revenue per
mile OF SASS in the southern district,
as against $4,000 for the corresponding
period in 1915. and $3.7O5 AS against
S3.2sS in the western district But in
both the southern and western districts
the hrst four months OF the current
calendar year presase not only an in
crease in the average operating in
come per mile of road. and $3.50 as
against SS7I for the roads in the west
ern district. but in both an increase in
the ratio of operating come to aver
age investment.
NO EMERGENCY EXISTS
TO JUSTIFY INCREASE
We arc led TO the conclusion that
no condition of emergency exists as TO
the Western and Southern carriers
which would justify permitting gen.
eral Increase in their rates to become
effective. In the eastern district in
creased rates have recently been per
United to become effective generally on
hituminous coal, coke and iron ore
We think that similar increase NAV
properly he permitted in the southern
district on coal. coke and iron ore and
in the western district on coal and
coke.
In the Southern district the pro-
posed increased rates on coal are on
the basis of 10 per cent. with maxi
mum OF ID cents per ton. These tariffs
we shall permit to become effective
In the western district the increases
are based upon 10 per cent. with a
minimum of II cents per ton. These
tariffs Will he suspended but the
western carriers may. If they so elect.
ME new tariffs carrying increases in
rates on coal and coke not exceeding
IN any case ID cents per ton
All of the tariffs included in this
proceeding Of the Southern carriers
VIII he suspended excepting those ap-
plying on coal, coke and iron ore.
"As has been indicated, however, the
conditions confronting the Eastern
carriers are substantially different
from those confronting the Southern
and Western carriers. and we are per-
C0RKECTs EXCESSIVE THIRST