The Pascagoula chronicle. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1905-1920, 1920-03-26
future HOLDS
MUCH PROMISE
Secretary Chamber Of Commerce Re-
turns from Extensive Trip In
Interest of the Port.


traffic manager, Chamber of Commerct
Moss Point -Pascagoula, returned Mon
day evening from trip to New Or
leans, st. Louis and Hattiesburg or
matters of material interest to this
port. In New Orleans he attended, q
meeting OF the Transportation and
Traffic Committee of the Southern
Pine Association, at which meeting il
was decided to oppose vigorously
before the Interstate Commerce Com
mission the advance in export freight
rates on lumber ordered into effect in
I December, 1919, as enc Of the last acts
of the United States Railroad Admin,
Bistration. This increase effects all eX-
port rates on lumber from points south
of the Ohio river and east of the Mis-
sissippi river to South Atlantic and
/ Gulf ports, putting o n the lumber
companies that are doing an export
| business an increase of from 40 to
200 per cent in addition to the % per
cent increase which they were com
| PEELED to stand in May, 1918, which
means the Gripping and in some cases
actual destruction of the export bust
ness in this part of the country. Sim
/ liar increases were not made from
mills west of the Mississippi river
and in the southwest, thus, giving a
case of serious discrimination against
the South and southeast with which
it is proposed to go to the Interstate
Commerce Commission and ask for a
| restoration OF export rates on lumber
lower than domestic rstes. Every
confidence is felt in winning the case
before the Interstate Commrce Com
mission and if successful it viii mean
saving to the lumber industry Of
approximately 100000 per annum.
In St Louis Mr. Shepardson atten-
Sd the meeting Of the National ln'ss5a
trial Traffic League of which he is a
member. This organization represents
900 Of all traffic organizations and in
importan matters that were passed up
on was the recommendation to the In
terstate Commerce Commission that
for the purpose of establishing rates
under the new transportation acts
which returned the railroads to private
ownership and for the securing to
them of the SO net earnings the
country be divided into three grand
rate groups, namely, The Official
Classification Territory, Southern
Classification Territory and Western
Classification Territory. The com
mission. is holding hearing in Wash
ington this week to secure the views
of the railroads and the shippers on
this important subject. Proposals
were also submitted regarding the
adoption and publication Of seasonable
coal rates by establishing normal
rate under which the coal will move
in the winter time and reducing it
1870 to induce movement of coal dur
ing the summer months and thus in a
measure relieve the usual winter con-
jestion. While in st. Louis Mr.. Shep
ardson received word of the decision
of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion granting to Pascagoula and Moss
Point, the same rates both in and out
bound from all points on and north
of the Ohio river and Mississippi
river crossings north of Memphis,
Tenn, Chicago, H., and all territory
from and to which rates are made
from Atlanta, Ga, Chattanooga and
Knoxville, Tenn, as are i'll effect to
and from Mobile Gulfport and New
Orleans, also, ordering certain other
adjustments to and from other teri.
tory, which taken all together means
great victory for Pascagoula and
Moss Point and the Chamber of Com
inerce and brings to a successful term
ination a fight that has been waged for
over two years to secure for this port
equality with Mobile, Gulfport and
New Orleans. Under the order of the
Commission these rates must become
effective on or before June 18th, 1920,
and should attract many new indus
tries and tend in great many other
ways to build up Moss Point and Pas
cagoula to say nothing of the enOrm-
Gus saving in freight rates to our
merchants and industries. and all who
receive or ship by freight. Under
normal conditions this will mean the
saving in freight charges alone to
Pascagoula citizens of approximately
$4,000 annually and to Moss Point
citizens Of approximately $4,000 an
nually. The percentage of saving to
Moss Point being somewhat greater
than to Pascagoula, as heretofore rates
to Moss Point have been from ! to 8