Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-01
SHIPPERS
TO GIVE
IN RATE fight
Rail Commission Will Present
Evidence at Washington
Against Raise.

Appeals have been made to Mon
tana express shippers to aid in the
preparation of data to be presented
by the state railway commission to
oppose a proposed increase in rates,
according to notices received by the
Great Falls Commercial club.
The hearing viii open in Washing
ton on November 20, and will be an
investigation of interstate rates and
charges for the transportation of ex-
press traffic in and between express
zones for the purpose Of determining
whether such rates and charges, or
any of them, are unreasonable.
The letter to l.. +. Jones. secretary
Of the Commercial club, reads in part:
Several days ago we received from
the attorney for the American Railway
Express company, 4 copy of the petit
ton for an increase in express rates
filed with the interstate commerce
commission on October 20. The petit
ton does not state the amount of in
crease wanted, but it does mention the
fact that for the year 1922, a deficit
of approximately 13,oO0,O 900, not in
Guiding return on investment of the
express or railroad companies, is an
ticipated. It is very probable that
this petition will be consolidated with
the case set for hearing on November
20. The petition has not yet been
formally filed with this board for in
trastate consideration.
May Bring Hearing West
The fact that hearings are to con
mence in Washington does not indi-
cate, we are informed. that all are to
be held there. On the contrary. be-
cause a large number Of the complaints
which resulted in the order for the
general inquiry came from zone No.
4, the intermountain territory, hear
ings may be held in the zone, al
though this is II of the things to be
considered during the hearings in
Washington. We are confident in
view of the scope of the inquiry. that
one or more hearings will be held in
Montana, possibly sometime in De
cember.
Express shippers in Montana gen
orally. are aware that this board did
not. after a formal inquiry, grant the
petition of the express company in
November, 1920. for. IN increase OF
26 per cent in Montana interstate
rates and in this connection we might
auu iHdt lbt Ni>tI ALltbdttDu ilIotttu-
ings brought by the express company
before the interstate com
mission in November. 1921. have not
yet been decided by the commission.
THE cases pending before the in
terstate m commission will re
quire the support Of all Montana ex-
press shippers to prevent an increase
in the present rates, and to obtain a
continuance Of those rates or a re
duction therein.
Appeal for Data
Through you and with you kind
assistance, we hope to obtain certain
data which we believe to be essential
to q proper presentation Of the case
for the Montana shipper. In this re-
spect, we desire information for Il 30
day period showing the number of
shipments received by express, points
of origin and weights, and the same
information for shipments forwarded,
also whether such shipments were de-
livered and picked up by the express
company. or whether this service was
performed by the consignee or con
signor in Montana. Similar data. ex-
cepting delivery and pick up service,
is desired to parcel post shipments"