The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-08-04
OF
ALL RATES BEGUN

leu Win view 70 putting into effect
by September 1, freight, passenger,
Pullman, excess baggage and milk
rate increases authorized last Satur-
day by the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
While tariff experts are working on
the general rate schedules the carriers
will make application to the various
state commissions for advances in in
trastate rates, to correspond to those
in interstate rates. Requests for ad-
vances in passenger, Pullman, milk
and excess baggage tariffs are expect
ed to be the same for all states as
the increases in these charges au-
thorized by the federal commission
were general for the entire country.
They were twenty per cent. on pas
senger, milk and excess baggage
charges, and fifty per cent. on rates
for sleeping and parlor car space.
In the case of freight rates, how
ever, the carriers will ask the states
to advance these tariffs to correspond
with the increase granted by the fed
eral commission for the territory in
which the state is located.
Interstate Increases
The interstate increases authorized
are 40 per cent in eastern territory,
I25 in southern and Mountain Pacific
territory, and 35 per cent. in western
territory.
In announcing that the applications
for intrastate advances would be
made to the state commissions. Alfred
p. Thom, general counsel of the As
sociation Of Railroad Executives, said
these increases would not enlarge the
gross income to be received by the
roads under the decision Of the federal
commission, because in representing
their case the carriers had based their
estimates on corresponding intrastate
state rate advances.
The railway executive have not cal
culated the total increased revenue to
be derived from the rate advances,
but from then estimates presented to
the commission at the public hear
ings, the sum has been unoffcially ap-
proximated at one billion and half
dollars. The commissions decision
is intended to so fix rates as to give
the roads the six per cent. return on
their aggregate value permitted by
the transportation act.
Aggregate Value.
Since the commission fixed the ag-
gregate value Of all the lines at $751;
0,000000, the net operating income
would be approximately $1,134,000,- |
900 as compared with the $S93, 100000 /
standard return the roads have re-
ceived during the period of federal
control, and since.
Coastwse and inland staeamship /
companies and electric railway lines /
are permitted under the Interstate
Commerce Commissions decision to
raise only freight rates. Nothing was
said by the commission as to pas
senger rates on the steamboat lines,
but the decision did say specifically
that the freight rate increase grant
ed electric railway lines "was not to
be construed as an expression Of dis
approval Of increases, made or pro-
posed in the regular manner, in the I
passenger fares Of electric lines"
While the commission authorized /
separate freight rate increases to the /
railroads in the four separate terri /
tories, the increase on freight moving
from one territory into another viii /
be 33 1-3 per cent.
Ask Separate Treatment.
Creation by the commission on its
own motion of the Mountain Pacific
territory was unexpected. The western
roads as a whole had joined in asking
for an increase Of 1913 per cent. but
the southwestern lines, later at the
public hearing, asked that they be
given separate treatment and a
freight increase of approximately 80
per cent. The commission did not
grant this request, saying it had been
opposed by many shippers and other
carriers in the western group.
The surcharge of fifty per cent. on (
sleeping and parlor car space is to
accrue wholly to the railroads. This 1
charge was opposed by the Pullman /
Company on the ground that it would
reduce the travel in cars of that type. 1
The commission held, however, that a
charge Of this character "has much .
in its favor" as "unquestionably the |
service is more valuable TO the pas /
senger and more expensive to the rail /
carrier.
Mrs. Chas. Roper and daughter. /