The Winslow mail., 1923-07-20
RATE HEARING AT PHOENIX
OF STATE WIDE INTEREST

The rate hearing at Phoenix which
began on Monday and is continuing
all this week is of interest to the
people OF the entire state. The hear
ing is being held before the state
corporation commission at the state
house. The hearing is being attend
ed by a large crowd composed OF
railway representatives, shippers and
consumers. An effort is being made
to get better rates on 1ntra-state
shipments as we'll as better rates on
shipments within the state. 1t was
brought out at the hearing on Mon
day by the rate experts, that what
they termed a high and excessive
arbitrary charge is exacted by the
carriers in the state for shipments
recurring two or more line hauls,
which charge is declared to be high
er that that in any other state. Mr.
Blaine, one of the experts, declared
that Arizona was the only state
where the carries eXacted nigh ar
bitrary charge for two or more line
hauls. 1t was further pointed out
that there is no point in the state
where the movement of freight from
one line to another was difficult,
most of it being done through the
use of joint freight houses or by
transfer tracks, which made the
transfer comparatively simple, and
in the opinion of the expert does not
justify the high charge.
1t was further pointed out that
this arbitrary charge is eXacted IN
Arizona in defiance of the order OF
the commission. Removal OF this
arbitrary charge, the expert stated,
would save the consumers many
thousands of dollars.
It is the contention of the shippers
and traffic men that there are no
operating conditions in the state
that justify rates that are 30 per
cent higher than the rates in Nevada,
Montana, Idaho, and other mountain
states.
Mr.. Blaine offered an exhibit show
ing that while Arizona has more
than 400 per cent more population
per rail mile than Nevada, the
freight rates in Arizona are more
than 80 per cent higher that in Ne
vada.
Another exhibit was introduced by
Mr.. Blaine showing that a much
higher rate is charged on inter
state shipments than in California
For instance, the rate from Los An
geles to Yuma a distance of 251
miles is $141, while the rate from
Tucson to Yuma, the same distance
| is $1701A. 1t was also shown by
Mr.. Blaine that Los Angeles can ship
to Corfred distance of 3O2 miles,
for first class rate Of $1.69, while
Tucson must pay $141 for the ship
ment to Colford, distance OF 2O0
miles.
Another interesting thing shown
by the exhibit was that on the haul
to Arzola, midway between Phoenix
and Tucson, the rate from Phoenix
is 40.3 cents while the rate from
Tucson is 20 cents, or a difference OF
11.3 cents. On first, third, and
fourth class rates, it was shown, the
advantage to Tucson on this haul
is 15 141A, and 1919 cents respect
lively. 1t was also shown that Tue
son has an advantage of 6:15 cents
on all classes of freight on hauls to
Casa Grande. 65 miles from Tucson
and Sc miles from Phoenix, the ave
rage rate from Phoenix being 98.5
cents while that from Phoenix is on
ly 1926 cents On this same haul 1t
I was SHOWN JudI uCoOh u1o CAO ~
vantage of and 8 cents on thlrd
and fourth class freight.
Some of these things may account
for the fact that the Tucson cham
ber of commerce is the only organ
ization in the state opposing freight
reduction. Mr. Nathan, representing
the Tucson chamber of commerce.
presented a motion on Monday to
| dismiss the hearing. He was given
a few minutes on Tuesday to defend
his motion. He declared that his
action was based upon a belief that
if the intra-state rate was lowered
the outside jobber would apply for
a similar reduction and that he
would have the advantage in that
his reduction would be greater in
! dollars and cents than the Arizona
rates reduced. AS an example he