Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-04
N. E. STARTS FIGHT
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we shall show that were it not for
! the consumption here in New Eng
| land. Of a large volume Of freight i'm
ported, the import trade also would
! be negligible"
| Opposing the petition were attor-
ncys representing the Pennsylvania
!: talroad, the chesapeake & Ohio, the
Norfolk & Western, the Illinois Cen
trail, the Southern, the Louisville &
! Nashville, the South Atlantic States
association and organizations of
business men in Baltimore, New Or
leans, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Newport
| News, Charleston. s. G., Chicago,
Milwaukee and other cities.
Supporting the petition were rep
rcsentatives of the New York Pro-
duce Exchange. the Massachusetts,
: Department of Public Works, the
state Chambers of Commerce of
Maine and New Hampshire and SINH
lar organizations in several New
. England cities
The complaint, filed on February IS
last, said that the rail export rates
| ford, New London, Portland and
| Providence, and the so-callcd differ
cntial territory west of a Pittsburg-
! Buffalo line, were unjust, unreason-
able and unduly prcjudiclal TO New
| England interests as compared with
rates from the west to Philadelphia
and Baltimore. Additions to the
complaint named Montreal, st. john
\. B., and Halifax, y. s.
"Since these diffcrential rates were
established" said Judge Clark
there have been changes in the
transportation and traffic conditions
and profound changes in the attitude
of the United States government as
/ reflected in the transportation, mer-
chant marine and interstate COM
merce acts We shall show that these
ditfcrentials had their origin in con-
troversies between the carrier lines
serving New York, Philadelphia and
Fillmore when there was nothing to
prevent destructive rate wars and
that there have been changes since to
settle these controversies
Under the law now the selfish inter
10 the public welfare, and even if there
mad been no change in the law this
case would be different from any sim
liar one ever heard"
The petitioners would show. Judge
Clark asserted that the defendants
mad voluntarily participated in sched-
ules which have ignored differences in
distance greater than those between
the North Atlantic ports. We shall
show that these differentiaIs have Iit-
orally died up the export business Of
the port of Boston"
Ports in adjacent foreign terrific.
rN,' Judge Clark continued. get low.
or rates than are accorded to this ter
ritory."
Yale kneeland of New York. chair
man of the grain committee of the
New York Produce Exchange, said OK
porters shipped large quantities of
gram through Philadelphia and Balti-
more because is was possible TO ar
| range the freight for less money than
! through New England largely because
, Of the freight d:fferentials.
The present diferentials lead to a
congestion of grain at ports ENJOYING
these lower rates" Mr.. kneeland said,
Equalization of rates would moan
mat when ports are temporarily con-
gested IN shipper could afford to dis
tribute his gran to other ports This
would eliminate delays in shipping
which sometimes occur occasionally
causing grain TO go bad"
Presenting a voluminous exhibit Of
railroad rates as evidence. ]. r. Mac
Aninery, assistant general freight
agent OF the Boston & Maine Railroad,
testified that rates between several
southern Atlantic ports and the west
ern cities in the Central Freight As
soeiation territory have been equalized.
despite the fact that some of the cit