The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1920-08-05
RAILROADS TO
INCREASE RATES
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COM
MISSION PROVIDES FOR CAR
RIERS TO MEET INCREASE

CWdSnluStOu, -. ~. fhSASs AS va"
be advanced about one-third, passen-
ger fares one-fifth and Pullman
charges one-half.
Coastwise and inland steamship
lines and electric railway companies
talso were granted permission to IN
crease their freight rates in proper
tion to the increase granted to the
railroad serving the same territory.
No estimate of the aggregate amount
TO result from these advances has been
made.
The new rates which are to contin-
ue in force until March l, 1922, Will
become effective upon five days no.
tice by the carriers to the commission
and the public, and they must be IN
o, e1ation before January :. Since the
government guarantee expires Sep
tember l the carriers are expectd to
bend every effort to put the advances
into effect by that date.
To Offset Wage Advance.
Increases granted by the commits
sion are designed to offset the $780,
100000 wage advence awarded by the
Railway Labor Board and to provide
the 6 per cent net income Of the ag-
gregate value of the railroad proper
ties as permitted under the transpor-
tation act. The aggregate value OF
all the railroads was estimated at
$4,000, ,0O0, 900 as against a value OF
$50, ,O40, ,OOO, 900 given by the carriers.
The 20 per cent increase in passen-
ger fares, excess baggage charges and
ziIk transportation rates and the so
/ per cent surcharge on Pullman fares
kuthorised By the commission will be
yEensrat tie country over. Freight
rates increases will vary according to
tsrritory with 40 per cent in the East;
a5 per cent in the South; S5 per cent
in the West-that is, from the Missis-
ipM River to the Rocky Mountains
and rs per cent in the mountain Pa
cific territory-from the east OF the
Rockies to the Pacific coast, not in
cludmg Alaska.
SAYS Increase Justified.
The ,commission II its 36-page de-
cision made no attempt to compute the
amount of increased revenues the car
riars would receive by reason OF the
rata advances. It did say, howver,
that the increases were justified in
view of the rapidly changing condi-
tons as to prices and the necessity
for providing adequate transportation
facilities during and after the period
of readjustment.
From figures submitted to the COM
mission by the carriers when their ap'
splications for the increases were made,
it was unofficially estimated that the
apportionment of the advance would
work out at about s1,2S5,S0O,0O on
freight, s2SS, 100000 on passenger
s4S, ,O0O, 900 on Pullman, S4,500,0O0 on
milk, and $1,400,OO0 excess baggage
charges.
s12 Per Capita Per Annum.
The increased charges on freight
alone were estimated as equalling a
levy of SIP per capita per annum fol
every man, woman and child in the
country, basing the nations popula-
ton at los, 100000 for 1920 recently
made by the census bureau.
The increases in passenger. Pullman
and excess baggage rates were exact
" those asked by the roads. Freight
increases requested were 1915 for the
Eastern roads, 32.03 for the Western
roads and 1891 for the Soutf Tern
roads, the total estimated to yield ST.
350,000,O0 The Eastern roads thus
were granted .25 of one per cent more
than they sought; the Western roads
approximately what they sought, but
the Southern roads received approx
mately IA per cent less than they had
requested.
In connection with the increase fol
the Southern roads the commission
said that the financial condition OF
those carriers was more favorable
than that of the lines in either of the
other groups. In view Of this condi,
rsion the commission held that they
! Sere better able to meet the demands
upon them than some of the othe,
companies and therefore did not re-
quire as large an increase.
Ellington, Aug. 2.-The new pas
senger fares will become effective
August 26, and the advanced freight