Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-07-27
RAILROADS ASK
BIG INCREASES
2e.9 RAISE IN FREIGHT RATES is
AMONG PROPOSALS OF THE
STocKHoLDERS
OTHER TARIFFS AFFECTED
Surchsrge of so Per Cent is Asked on
Pullman Fares, Together With
20 Per Cent Raise in Pas
senger Fares

Washington. July 24.-To provide
additional revenue necessary to meet
the $600,0000O0 increase in wages
awarded by the railway labor board,
the railways of the country proposed
yesterday to the interstate commerce
commission that passenger fares be
advanced 20 per cent and freight rates
9.13 per cent. in addition to the PIG
per cent previously requested. They
also proposed that a surcharge of 80
per cent be made on Pullman fares,
that excess baggage rates be increased
20 per cent and that milk tariffs be
increased to the same level as freight
rates.
Should the increase proposed now
and those previously asked for be
granted in full, existing freight rates
would be advanced 1863 per cent and
the nations freight bill would be in
creased by SATISFACTORILY.
The total which would be added to
the regular revenues under the rail-
way executives plan would be $233. S27..
S92 annually. Pullman charges would
so up S43,639, 344 a year; the revenue
on milk would be increased SIS, S62 OS9
and excess baggage charges would be
advanced by $1,420995.
The plan advanced by the executives
disclosed that they have estimated the
wage award at approximately $626,000-
600 instead of the $600O00,000 figured
by the labor board. Alfred p. Thorn.
general counsel of the Association of
Railway Executives, explained that
the $26,000,000 additional was figured
on the basis of overtime allowances
provided in the award.
The proposal of the executives was
submitted to the commission by Mr..
Thorn after q conference with its
members. 1t had been worked out at
a series of conferences of railway of
fcials here since the announcement of
the wage award by the labor board
at Chicago last Tuesday.
The commission made no comment on
receiving the proposal and did not indi-
cate whether it would order hearings.
Hearings on the billion dollar freight
rate increase cases We're concluded two
weeks ago and the general expectation
has been that the commission would
grant a single increase to cover that
and the added expenses resulting from
the wage advances, so as to permit the
filing of the new tariffs before the gov
eminent guarantee to the railroads ex-sI
pires on September l. under the terms
OF the transportation act. The total
increases from all sources of revenue
In each of the three railway classified
ton territories would correspond TO
the estimated increase of wages in
those territories and would be as fol
ows:
Eastern S31S, 729,935: southern $780,
)00,495 and western S237, 2S1. $50.
Under the executive estimates the |
proposed increase in passenger rates
would yield an annual return of Sill
i6S'9S2 in eastern territory, S29. S26. 400
n southern and 800 .332 800 in western.
The additional increase in freight
'ates would be 10 per cent in eastern
erritory yielding S1S2,O2O,541 $3.50 per
ent in southern territory yielding $685.
9S,926 and 1923 per cent in western
erritory yielding S122, SOL POS.
The total increase in freight rates re.
ulting from the proposals of the rail-
Dads would be 1915 per cent in east.
IN territory, 1891 in southern terri.
DRY, 32.03 in western territory. The
on Pullman fares in the
asst would be S17,556,1OS; in the south
5,S520S6 and west 500, 231 200. The
charge on hauling milk
Tould be S6956,416 in the east. $685.
Is in the south and 81. 1858 in the
rest. Excess baggage charges were
at $27s,sSS in the east. $3.50.
Il in the south and $4,000 in the
,anf