The Sun. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1915-1932, 1920-08-27
INTERSTATE COAL RATE
HELD AT PRESENT
FIGURES
UTILITIES COMMISSION MAKES
SUCH RULING.
Utah Coal Will Not Be Affected In
Price 10 Utah Consumers BY
Freight Charges-Passenge Fares
On State Roads Also Denied Raise
-Minimums Are Retained.

rates allowed by the interstate com
merce commission to all railroads in
the mountain-Pacific territory will
not be applicable TO rates on coal and
ore moving wholly within the state Of
Utah, according to a decision Of the
public utilities commission of the
state Tuesday. Neither will an in
crease Of 20 per cent be permitted in
passenger iates when those rates al
ready exceed three cents a mile, nor
on any passenger rates on interurban
or other electric railroads. Otherwise,
in a general way, all the changes per-
mitted by the interstate traffic be-
came effective in intrastate traffic in
Utah Wednesday.
The decision of the state commits
sion was announced and is effective
ON one days notice by the railroads.
The commission retains It's iurisdic-
ton of the ease, according to the ex-
press terms of the decision, and by
the wording of that document invites
carriers and shippers to initiate pro-
coedings looking to necessary adjust
mcnts, (Which should be expedited in
every way possible"
Decision Unanimous.
In It's decision, which is signed by
an three members of the Utah COM
mission-Ioshua Greenwood, prcsi-
dent; Henry II. Blood and Warren
Stoutnour- commission takes a
position directly athwart that assum-
ed by attorneys for the railroads,
which was to the effect that the al.
thority of the interstate commerce
commission under the amended act IN
such that that body will institute in
trasintc the rates it has ordered in
tcrstatc, provided the state commits
sion do not voluntarily acccdc. The
Utah commission holds that, provided
the state rates are reasonable aud
proper in themselves, the amended
act gives the interstate body no au-
thority TO order them changed
This being the first time the Utah
commission has had opportunity TO
express its stand with regard to the
provisions OF the amended federal
act, the decision is regarded as highly
important, in view of the possible
conflict of authority between federal
and state bodies,
In refusing 10 grant the increases
asked ON intrnstate coal rates the
Utah commission stabilizes the prices
of coal to consumers In Utah at their
present figures, Va far as freight
rates are concerned The freight il
between 20 and % per cent of the
price Of coal 10 consumers In the
households Of Salt Lake City and
Ogden.
Mine Owners Needed.
The refusal 10 grant the increases
proposed ON ores was the result Of
representations made by Utah mine
owners, represented by the Utah
chapter of the American Mining con-
gress, that increased rates, pariicu,
larry on low-grade ores, would result
in the closing of many Utah mines
and in the loss of a large tonnage Ia
the railroads.
II. w. Prickett of the Traffic Ser,
vice Bureau of Utah represented the
Utah mine owners at the hearings
and also was attorney for the Salt
: Lake Commercial club, which protest
a ed various increases in rates as at
! fecting the canning and other indus
tries. With the two exceptions noted
the protests were for the present dis
regarded, and the decreases asked cor
only follow a full hearing before the
commission ON the rates involved, un
less the railroads voluntarily inaugu
rate decreases.
The commission : ruling makes et
fectiye present minimum rates, which
were not changed by the interstate
commerce commission, hut permit
any Utah railroad that has not estab
lished the present minimum charge
J and class scale 10 do SO.
Coal and Ore Excepted.
, The decision of the Utah commits
sion proceeds: "This commission il
= this proceeding sought to have a ful
and complete showing such rs is con
templated by the Utah statute, upoI
1 which action should legally be taken
Testimony presented by the protest
anti showed that present rates OF
coal in other sections of mountain
Pacific territory,
| In the case of ores, il was showI
that the present rates are such a.
would, if increased as proposedj re
suit in the closing Of number o.
mines and in seriously affecting III,
mining industry of this state in gen
eral, This would result in a curtail
ment of traffic and reduction o
carriers revenues. Carriers wert
given opportunity 10 make such in
ereases ON these commodities, bu
having failed TO do SO, the commission
can act only on the record as made
and must therefore except coal ant