Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-29
n, {, RAILROADS.
RE-DIv|S|ON PLEA
MEETS REFUSAL
Commerce c. 0 m m i S.
sion Says Vital Data
Was Missing
Request for Bigger Slice of
Joint Freight Rates Disre-
garded Question of Fairness,
Says Opinion-Three Com
missionerS Dissent

Washington, July 2S-The Inter
state Commerce Commission refused
today to prescribe divisions of the
joint freight rates to go to New Eng
land roads, but declared that t,ir
divisions cannot flow from existing
arrangements"
Data furnished by the New Eng
land roads in the case. while ''volu-
minous," the commission said, were
limited in character were not suffi-
cient to afford Il valid prescription"
OF division.
The commission commented on the
on divisions of rates which they OBJ
tanned from the joint transportation
with other roads Of coal, high explo-
isves, milk, fresh meats and certain
other products.
The roads were ordered to submit
promptly proposed readjustments
that will remove the Inconsistencies
which they portrayed.
New England carriers applied for
Il redivision of joint rates between
carriers east and west of the Hud-
son river, seeking a greater share of
the revenues. and protractcd hear
ings were held by the commission
last winter.
The commission agreed with the
rcuds outside New England that the
effort of New England roads was Ito
augment their revenue from tariff
which they interchange with their
connections without regard to the
question of whether the present d.
visions, are fair and reasonable and
without consideration of the prob
able effects upon revenues" of the
other roads.
The commission also SAID that to
exclude certain roads in New Eng
land which were opposed to the pro-
posal of the majority would not be
treating the New England roads as
a whole
In reply to request that a blan-
ket increase be given New England
roads and allotted among them by
This would BE taking from one road
and giving TO less prosperous road,
thus doing by indirection what the
Congress deliberately and specifically
refused TO authorize us to do
Ihe financial condition OF New Eng
Land roads is not measurea bly, worse
than that of some Of the defc ndant
roads, the commission said in reply
to the claim that roads in that terri
tory We're not adequately compcnsat-
ed for their service, which they de-
clared was more expensive than that
CT other roads,
NO evidence of the reasonable and
equitable measure of divisions other
than as q whole nave been offered"
the committee said No method BIZ
which the apparently homogeneous
plan Of divisions now in force might
I've readjusted ! as been submitted and
we are thus left to deaf with the sit
uation in the light of genera Iizations
which can lead only to speculative ven
lures upon an unknown field The va
ii"ns methods which have been sug
geSted to alleviate the financial condi-
tons of the New England lines and
assure them just, reasonable and
equitable division indicate in them
selves tho uncertainty of their appIi-
cation and it is apparent that if
adopted they Would not only perpet-
uate the inconsistencies 10 which
complainants refer but would create
new preferences and prejudces.'
The commission said it had no evil
dence upon which to base an opinion
as to whether the deficiency is or is
not met from the revenues on coal"
TO treat the compliments as
whole or as q group" the opinion
added, would disregard the differ
ences which obtain between the COM
plalnants individually. Much of the
evidence adduced was solely in behalf
or the New Haven and manifestly has
no application to conditions on the
bangor & Aroostook, the Central yer-
mont or the Rutland"
commissioners Campbell. Potter and
Eastman dissented from the opinion.