Arizona republican., 1922-02-07
RESULTS OF RATE
HEARING ENDED IN
EAST ARE OUTLINED

The following letter. outlining the
results Of the hearing held by the in
terstate commerce commission in the
matter of the fourth section, in
which the railroads are asking for
revision of transcontinental rate
tariff, has been prepared by Roland
Johnston, traffic manager OF the
chamber of commerce, who returned
yesterday from New York city Where
the meeting was held:
'I have Just returned from the
New York hearing which was the
final hearing in the above numbered
docket wherein the transcontinental
carriers made application to the iT1-
terstate commerce commission for
permission to establish rates on nu-
merous commodities from eastern de-
fined territories to the Pacific coast
terminals that would be lower than
the rates on the same commodities
to intermediate points.
'vThe carriers did not offer, in
New York, any rebuttal evidence 70
the testimony presented by repre-
sentatiyes of the intermountain
states in this case.
"The following officers of the In
termediate Rate association attended
and participated in the New York
hearing. J. f. Shaughenssy. Carson
City, New; II. w. Prickett, Salt Lake
City, Utah; c. o. Bergan, Spokane,
Wash; Amos A. Belts and Roland
Johnston of Phoenix, Arizona IL rs
our opinion that everything possible
was done to protect the interests OF
the intermountain people. The case
is now fully submitted. Examiner
Disuue has fixed March 15 as the
date for filing the briefs, March -
for filing the reply briefs. He fur
ther stated that he would hand down
a tentative opinion some time IN
April and believed that the time set
for oral argument before the COM
mission would be some time in May.
If this program is followed we may
reasonably expect final decision
from the interstate commerce com
mission within 80 or so days after
oral argument.
"It is impossible to forecast the
decision of the interstate commerce
commission, but we are hopeful that
the commission will not grant the
application of the carriers.
"The steamship companies pre-
sented their evidence at the New
York hearing and contended that II
the railroads were permitted to pub
lish the rates applied for the steam
ship companies would be deprived OF
tonnage to such an extent that they
would have to go out of business.
The shippers located at New York,
Boston and other Atlantic ports. are
opposed to the application Of the car
riers. Shippers located at Chicago
and other eastern interior points are
in favor OF the application.
"The trunk lines located east OF
the line drawn north and south
through Pittsburg. are not favorable
to the application In all of its bear
ings. Those lines between Pittsburg
and Chicago, are endeavoring TO pub
lsh rates to Mobile and Savannah,
Georgia in connection with the
steamship companies, to Pacific ports
and are not in favor of the applica-
tion OF the transcontinental carriers.
TT is only fair to say that all of
these warning factions are not inter-
ested in the fight being made by the
Intermediate Rate association on be-
half of the intermountain states. and
will be satisfied with any decision
handed down by the interstate COM
rnerce commission that will protect
their individual interests. AS can