The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-06-01
TO HEAR COMPLAINTS
OF SHIPPERS ON the
new FREIGHT RATES

WASHINGTON, u. G.. May 81
To work out many changes to be made
! in the new high rate schedules. Direct
! or General McAdoo to-day appointed
traffic committees for The eastern,
western and southern districts. and
Tor local regions. 10 hear complaints
OF shippers ami recommend mndlfica'
tiuus.
At the same time II became known
; at the railroad administration that the
director general plans to. order num-
; Der of reductions in rates. 10 MAINTAIN
existing rate relationships between
rival communities and to protect crr-'
! tain industries before JUMP %, when
the new schedules arc to go into el'
! feet.
/ lnterurban electric lines are con-
sidering a general increase in ooth
! freight and passenger rates, II was
: learned here to-day. Such increases IN
most cases would be subject 10 review
! BY State commissions
While the railroad administration TO-
! dav was flooded with new protests
against provisions OF the rate order'
the system Of thrcshing out rate prop
lens was developed. The following
I explanation of the traffic committee
arrangement was made:
The director general invites the CO.
operation Of the shipping public IN
working out a satisfactory adjustment
of freight rates on the higher level
now necessary. All shippers who de-
! sire to make suggestions. as 10 the
maintenance Of established differen-
! tials, or the REIMBURSEMENT OF trclcht
rates under general order NO Is, may
present their views through the freight
traffic officers of the railroads serving
them: but if shippers feel. after pre-
! senting such matters TO their own
roads, that they want n4eir views CIV
en- further consideration. the freight
| committee for the territory or district
! involved will be glad to hear and con-
slider any proposal or suggestion the
| shippers may have 10 offer.
For the eastern district including ter
ritnry of tho Ohio and Potomac and east
Of tho Mississippi. complaints or Sug-
| reStioas for freight rate notifications
should" be sent to +. Campbell. chairman
| nr the eastern freight traffic commit
tee. t43 Liberty street. New YORK NilE'
For rho south complaints so to Fan
dali Clifton. chairman "f tho southern
! freight traffic committee. Atlan'A ia
! In addition. tho director general ap-
nolnted local freight traffic committees
including the following:
For trunk line coal and coke traffic.
T. z. Croslcy. chairman. Reading Ter
minal. Philadelphia. For coal and coke
traffic. in tho central district. J. 6 ven
! ming. chairman. So4 Pennsylvania stu
! ton. Pittsburgh.
These committees arc instructed 70
give careful consideration to all ccm-
. plants or suggestions Of shippers ana
, 10 make Recommendations for changes
! with all possible haste in order not 10
: subject traffic to prejudicial rates any
longer than Is necessary.
1t was explained to-day that the nc"
ratios amply II short lines only :" long
! as they are under government control.
Hundreds Of protests against ri" IN
! crca SOS and suggestions for local mod-
! fications. havc hc~n received and tabu-
lated by tho railroad administration.
! They will he referred To tho local d:s-
trict freigh; traffic committees.
! number rf independent Gil COM
! panies protested that tho rate increase
would place ,hcn nj n 6isadvantaE" with
the Standard oil Company with it's pine
, line system Of transportation.
Commercial organizations In scor"
! Of Oklahoma towns and cities protested
: that since interstate rates in Oklahoma
! recently had hccn raised about 90 per
cent their Industries would oe NJ m
! unfair disadvantage by III" Imposition
Of - per cent additional
; Grain merchants and millers urErd inc
railroad administration 10 take Er"nt
nains to preserve present diffcrcn,ialS.
| saving the entire competitive system
| built up in tho milling industry would
l,e drmorl,izcd Il this were not done.
: Eastern soap manufacturers reported
! that ,he cancellation OF export and i'm
| rnrt rates would result IN a "t' nHr cent
! advarr" N rates On copra and soy;t i,an
oils from II" Pacific coast son" mani
! urac,urnrs said thc increases imr"G"d
, N short hauls would ruin their indus
/ try.