The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-17
REDUCE
RATE ON
MAIL PAY
Postmaster General Files
Petition to That End
With I. g. G.

Washington, March ia very COM
prehensive statement of the railway
mail service has been filed with the
Interstate Commerce commission by
the postmaster general, together with
petition for a reduction in the mail
pay rates. The commission served q
COPY of this statement upon each OF
the respondent railroads and directed
that these carriers shall file with 1t
on or before May / next q written
answer setting forth their objections
to the statement and petition Of the
postmaster general.
The postmaster general pointed out
that the space rates under which prac-
tically 80 per cent of the mail roads
are now operating we're tentative rates
required. under the act Of congress.
These rates will not be made perma-
nent until so ordered by the Interstate
Commerce commission. The postal Of
ficials now desire to have the space
method of railway mail pay perma-
nently adopted and at the same time
desire to have the units Of pay ma
terially reduced.
The statement accompanying this
petition showed the transportation re-
quired Of all railway common carriers,
including the number, equipment, size
and construction OF the cars neces-
sary for the transaction Of the busi-
ness; the character and speed Of the
trains which are to carry the various
kinds of mail and the service, both
terminal and en- route. which the car
riers are to render. 1t added.
THE postmaster general represents
that the rates OF pay at present auth
orized for service stated on the space
basis and as herein set forth are the
maximum rates named in the act Of
July %, 1915.
Payment Believed Excessive.
"Such rates become effective from
November 1, 1916, and supersede all
rates for the same service Heretofore
stated upons the weight basis and as
adjusted under the law Of 1873 and the
amending acts. The total Of this COM
pensation so stated on the space basis
as of November 1, 1915, was $S,222, 405
greater per annum than the total
compensation on the weight basis
which it has superseded. The post
master general represents and believes
that this total is excessively large;
that the rates provided by the act for
the respective units OF space and SER
vice should in general be reduced by
the commission: and that the rates
for the respective units Of space and
service Should in general be reduced
by the commission: and that the rates
for the respective units of space and
service should not exceed the follow
ing, to wit:
For full railway postofice car mail
service 20 cents for each mile Of SER
vice by 60-foot car, and in addition
thereto 81 as a combined initial and
terminal rate for each one way trip
Of 60-foot car.
For apartment railway postohice
car mail service 10 cents for each mile
OF service for 30-foot apartment car
and cents for each mile of service
by q 15-foot apartment car, and in adj
dition thereto, as a combined initial
and terminal rate for each one way
trip OF a 30-foot apartment car ond
81 as q combined initial and terminal
rate for each one way trip OF 16-6oot
apartment car.
Storage and Other Rates.
"For storage car mail service $50
for each mile Of service by 60-foot
car, and in addition thereto $4 as q
aF.4. sesN e.