New-York tribune., 1918-03-16
Eastern Lines
Win Increased
Freight Rates
Commerce Board Grants is
Per Cent Raise on Ger
tain Commodities

WASHINGTON. March IA gen
eral increase of about Is per cent in
commodity rates was granted to-day
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to railroads east of the Misss-
sippl and north of the Ohio and Po-
tomac Rivers. supplementing similar
increase allowed last June in class
rates.
The order applies only to articles
shipped in large quantities. such as
coal, brick, grain, foodstutfs, oil. stone,
cement, lumber. and other staple prod
ucts shipped under the commodity"
classification. The new rates will go
into effect as soon as railroads file new
tariffs. probably within q few weeks.
The action will add about S58 ,OO0,-
900 to the revenue of the Eastern
roads. although it will not actually in
crease their earnings, since the sum
will revert to the government under
the system OF common operation, and
railroads Will be paid on the basis Of
fixed compensation outlined in the
railroad bill just passed by Congress.
Since the railroads applied for the in
crease more than six months ago, be-
fore government operation was or
dered, and was decided by the COM
mission in the ordinary course of its
business, the railroad administration
is not directly responsible for the re-
sulting higher rates.
The increase does not affect terri
tory west of the Mississippi nor South
ern territory, except for shipments
originating in the East or destined to
that district.
In general, o-day's., order Of the
commission allows increases averag-
ing l5 per cent in rates not raised by
the commis ission's decision last June
been pending for many months. The
order then was estimated to increase
the roads freight revenues little
more than 5 per cent and railroad men
tonight figured that the latest in
creases would give Eastern roads be-
tween and 10 per cent more.
In addition to ordering the general
increase in commodity rates, the com
mission took special action in num-
Der of pending cases closely related
to the Is per cent case, and considered
in conjunction with it. These are as
follows:
Anthracite coal, increased Is cents
a ton maximum.
Brick, clay aad related articles. in
creased 10 per cent from producing
centres nea:' Canton, Ohio, to Ohio
Indiana AID Illinois; rates from other
producing districts in Western Penn
sylvaria. West Virginia, other parts of
Ohio and Northern Kentucky to be fig
ured on existing differentials from the
Canton basis.
Cement. comm modify rates, increased
by one cent per 100 pounds, regardless
Of distance.
Lumber and forest products, in
creased by ! per cent per 100 pounds
regardless of distance.
The commission ordered that in rails
/ ing the whole scheme of commodity
rates existing difcrentials or relation
ships between cities or districts be pre-
served. For instance. in cases where
rates to certain Eastern cities are 8
certain definite sum less than the rate
to New York this difference is to be
preserved, although the result may
sometimes be to raise charges more
than Is per cent. This provision will
serve to maintain present relationships
under the long and short haul laws.
BY its decision to-day the commits
sion disposed of the long pending an.
thracitc coal case. the Eastern live
stock and fresh meat case, the Eastern
commodity case, the case involving
commo odites between the extreme Eas
and West, the Central Freight Associ
alton territory petroleum case and tho
Eastern grain case.