The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-06-06
rowNs TWO CENT PASSENGER
FARE A DEAD LETTER.
ORDER IN FORCE NEXT MONTH
Freight Rates Get Big 5oost.-ReV
enues Needed to Meet the ReVis-
sion in Wage schedules.-SoI-
diers Are Given Concession.

past twenty years is knocked higher
than a Zeppelin in the order issued
yesterday providing for general in
crease in freight and passenger rates
on all classes of travel and business
Iowa's two cent fare will be a dead
letter after June 20, and the various
local freight rates which have been
effective for many years are also can
celled
Two marked concessions are grant
ed in the boost of passenger rates,
soldier, sailors and marines and army
nurses in uniform will be given a re-
duced passage at one-third the regular
one way rate when travelling on fur
Tough or leave of absence. G. A. X.
and confederate veterans are granted
a rate of one cent per mile in their
visits to annual national encampments
this summer
Increases General.
The freight increases become Ell
fective June 25, and the passenger
boosts June 10.
The increase in freight rates ap-
plies to both interstate and inter
state shipping, The increase varies
somewhat with classification, the %
per cent being for class l. Increase in
class two is q per cent, class three
1713 per cent, class four 10 per cent
and class five IL per cent, under west
ern classification.
A flat rate of increase is fixed in
the case of certain commodities. For
instance, the increase in the freight
rate on coal will be Is cents per ton
where the present rate is below AZ
cents; 20 cents per ton where the
rate is from so cents to 81; 80 cents
per ton where the rate is from 81 to
So: 40 cents a ton where the rate is
from 81 TO So, and where the rate now
is So or more per ton the increase will
be so cents ton.
Coal Rates Way Up.
The order further stipulates that
in sections where freight rates have
not been increased since June l,
1918, there shall be an additional in
crease of rates of Il cents per ton on
coal. This applies to Iowa.
The total increase here. therefore,
in coal rates will be from so cents TO
g. cents a ton.
Increase on lumber is q per cent,
or not TO exceed cents per 100
pounds; on wheat q per cent. not ex-
ceeding 6 cents per 100 pounds; on
live stock p per cent, not exceeding
Z cents per 100 pounds.
The increase in passenger fares APP
plies to both interstate transportation
and that wholly within the state. Aft
er June 10, the fare goes to 3 cents
mile for day coaches, 3A cents for
tourist cars. and By cents for Pull
mans.
All mileage, party second class, i'm
migrant, convention. excursion and
tourist fares will be discontinued until
further notice.
The order cuts out stopovers on
one-way tickets, side trips at free or
reduced fares, dicounts by use of eX-
cess baggage permits or excess money
coupon books and the sale of one way
tickets bearing limit in excess OF time
necessary to make trip by continuous
passage.
Iowa Rates Superseded.
Chairman Lewis gave ii as his opin-
ion that the 2 cent fare now in Iowa
would not stand in the face of an in
crease such as that proposed by the
federal government.
1T is true" Mr. Lewis says. that
within it's own boundaries the state
has control over commerce, inasmuch
as that was not one of the powers
da,reated TO the federal government.
"However, under a holding to the
effect that no state rate is TO throw
an undue burden upon interstate
commerce, the government may cause
the change Of any state rate which
produces such burden, and under this
holding my idea is that Iowa, even
though so disposed, could not maintain
its 2 cent rate If the government has
fixed the rate at 3 cents"
"The rate on first class freight be
tween Chicago and Dies Moines for
several years has been go cents per
100 pounds" said +. g. Willie, rate
commissioner of the Greater Des
MOines committee.
"The reported increase in freights
is 25 per cent which will make the
new rate eco cents plus 20 per cent?
rs cents per 100 pounds. But there is
now also war tax OF per cent so
these shipments will be required to
bear an aggregate of charges totallins
77H cents per 100 pounds. In round
figures this Is an increase OF ~ per
cent; and that percentage OF increase
must be paid elsewhere and generally.
"The railroad owners are to receive
under government control revenue
from the United tates government
equaling their average income re-
eeiyed in the three years 1915, 1916.
1917 During all those years THIS 60
cents per 100 pounds was the rate be-
tween Chicago and Des Moines."