East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-07-21
BIG RATE CASE
NOW BEING HEARD
BY COMMISSION
Portland and Interior Wage
Fight for Equitable Rate
via Water Grade.
SEATTLE FIGHTS TO
KEEP PRESENT RATE
Three Members of Interstate
Commerce Commission at
Portland for Hearing.

rate. case and testified they don't wish
their freight rates based ON long
mileage and haul over Cascade noun
! tains 10 Sound points.
DR.. c. y. smith, president of the
Inland EmIfrc shippers Association
was asked by Oswald West. counsel
for the association whether he wished
tho rates based thus.
..AIost certainly not said Smith.
West said it would be pcrfecIy
congcnial to the inland empire grow
crs if Astoria Is granted the same rate
as Portland.
BY agreement the hearing of the
actions brought gy the Inland En-
pire by Portland and the public serv-
ice commission were consolidated.
PORTLAND, Or. July 21.-United
Press.-Portland's big fight to win
from Seattle the business of the In
land empire opened here today before
three members OF the interstate COM
cerc commission.
The commissioners heard evidence
in the Columbia basin rate case.
which. il decided as Portland desires.
would result in a precedent which
would cause readjustment of rates the
country over.
The commission Is asked to grant
a lower freight rate by way of the
water grade between the Inland EN-
pire and ports Of the Columbia than
by way of the mountains between the
Inland Empire and Puget Sound
ports
The hearing viii be transferred to
Seattle July 2s. and will continue
there for probably four days
All Puget sound ports are with Sc
attle In this case, just as all Colun1--
bia ports are with Portland. Those
advocating the lower rate for the wa
ter line have sought backing from the
big grain growers of the empire on
the grounds that lower rates would
mean more money to the producer
Puget Sound interests have countered
with the reply that rates to Portland !
would not be lowered-that rates to
Puget Sound merely would be raised.
Astoria With Sound.
Astoria is aligned with the Puget
Sound against Portland. asserting that
Portland by asking a differential rate
against Astoria gave evidence that
she is really attempting to get Asto-
ria's business instead of that going
to the Sound.
The one big contention of the Co
Iumbia river ports is that every cost
of mountain transportation Is great /
er than the cost entailed in the steady
downward slope to the mouth of the
Columbia. and that, therefore, the I
rates should be lower into Columbia'a
river ports.
Seattle has the lions share of the
Inland Empire business now This is
explained by local interests by the
act that the terminals of the big Hill
railroads tapping the Inland Empire
are at Seattle.
The contention that transportation
on the water level is entitled to low
er rate than transportation over
will be fought by a power
ful combination of Puget Sound cit-
ies--Port and business interests-the
Northern Pacific. Great Northern and
c. NJ & st. p. railroads.
The stakes played for are immense.
Grain is the principal industry of the
Inland Empire. which includes all
the wide expanse of territory OF the
district in Washington,
oregon and Idaho.
No rate hearing in the west has
ever been attributed greater import
ance. This is indicated by the fact
that three commissioners have come
from Washington to hear IL. Never
before has a western case been so dig
nified The commissioners who will
hear the case are II. c, Hall, Winthrop
NJ. Daniels and Joseph e, Eastman
The hearing will he at the court
house here,