The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1920-07-30


WASHINGTON, ID. c., July o.
Every time YOU buy railroad ticket,
and particularly Pullman berth, yin
will be reminded of the 1925, $1,000
annual pay raise granted railway EN-.
ployes, If the interstate commerce
commission approves the plans sub
mitted by the commission today for
passing the burden onto the public.
The recommendation for further
increase IN transportation rates TO
meet the wage boost were presented
TO the commission by Alfred z. Thorn,
general counsel for the Association
of Railway Executives. The chief de-
tails Of the scheme rs worked out by
the executives in conferences during
the past few days were:
IN increase of 20 per cent ON all
passenger fares.
An increase of 20 per cent on all
excess baggage rates.
Surchargc of 80 per cent on all
Pullmen tickets.
An increase on milk rates.
An increase in freight rates averag-
ing O.l3 per cent.
An increase in switching charges
The - per cent increase in pas
acngcr fares amounts to six-tonths of
a cent n mile. which Is slightly more
than the half cent advance originally
discussed. The 20 per cent passenger
fare increase applies 10 standard,
local or intcrline fares, excursion,
convention and other fares for special
occasions. Communication and other
multiple forms OF tickets, extra fares
on limited trains and club ear rates
Pullmn surcharges.
The 80 per cent surchargc on Pull
man sleeping and parlor ear tickets
~ not AN increase in Pullman rates,
but an extra fare paid 10 the railway
company for the privilege of travel.
ing In Pullman ear. When you pay
four dollars for Pullman berth, for
example, YOU will pay nm additional
two dollars 10 the railway company.
The railway executives sought 10
bring the total passenger and mis-
eellancous increases up 10 approx
mately half of the total wage adj
vance. Their figures, however, indi.
cate that they failed 10 quite reach
that mark. The official figures show
that the wage award h estimated o.
cost the roads s625,O2l ,0s5 annually.
The increased passenger fares, IL Is
estimated, will produce S233. s27, 9s2
The surchnrge on parlor and sleeping
ear tickets will yield Si3,690,3H.
The increased milk rates will Weld
ss,6b2,0sD, and the increased excess
baggage charge ~ .i20,nn5. The total
amount from these sources b. s2s7,-
bbO,4iO. This leaves balance Of
Sj3s,3I0,61b Ia be- raised from freight
and switching charges. Worked out
IN percentages, this means nn aver
age increase of 0.l3 per cent
Varying Increases.
The amount varies somewhat in tho
different territories. On the Western
roads the percentages asked Is s.02l
per cent, ON the Eastern roads 10 per
cent and on the Southern s.Oj7 per
cent. The original application for iu-
creased freight rates TO meet existing
costs was for AN average of % per
cent, comprising DIS per cent on
Western roads, 20.72 per cent on
Eastern roads and 30.34 per cent un
Southern roads.
Adding the new increase in freight
rates requested 10 the original amount
asked, il will mean an average IN
crease in freight rates of slightly
more than 80 per cent The increase
asked will be 5000 per cent on West
ern roads, 1915 per cent on Eastern
roads and 3S,0l per cent on southern
roads.
The yardstick for measuring an
freight rates was seyenty-tiye cents
per hundred pounds between Chicago
and New York before the war II has
been raised 10 Sl.l7 By subsequent
rate advances. II the increases now
asked for are granted in full u viii
60 up 10 $l.67,
The recommendation of the rail-
roads were presented by Thorn az a
conference with members of the
interstate commerce commission.
Whether there will be any bubble