San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-16
COMMON POINT
TERR|T0RYNO
To Be CHANGED
Oklahoma Commission Will
Not Ask De-
crease.
WOULD AFFECT ROADS
Question Raised That May
Require New Ice.
Hearing.

With the understanding that the
Oklahoma Corporation Commission
| will not ask for a decrease in Texas
common point territory by an east
| ward movement of the line dividing
| the differential and common point
territory. F. A. Leffingwell, represent
ing the Texas Chamber of Commerce,
| closed his testimony at the Oklahoma
freight rate hearing Friday morning
without taking I'M the defense of the
present grouping. BY comparison of
scales grading out to 800 miles. Mr..
LeffingweH brought out that if the
rate scale 10 Texas common points
from the Texas gult ports was extend
ed to reach Oklahoma. it would be nee
essary TO so grade the scale that the
short haul rates would be materially
decreased.
The result, he said. would be to de-
Grease the gross receipts of the rail-
roads. He offered exhibits to show
most of this traffic moved within the
short haul territory. as, for example.
sulphuric acid from Port Arthur.
which has an average haul of 41.9
miles. His point was to show that
Oklahoma shippers would not be great
ly benefited by extending the scale to
take them in. and that the carriers |
would be seriously injured. When |
asked by representatives of the Okla !
hOma commission if his testimony was
given in the interests of the carriers,
he replied that it was to a certain ex-
tent. Business prosperity, he said. de- |
ponds much on the carriers earning a |
just return on their investment, and |
to that extent his testimony was in |
their interests.
Ask About Adjustment.
In defense of the Texas intrastate
rates, Mr.. Feffingwell declares they
are higher now than they would be, il,
in proportion TO other straight mile
age rates or the water haul from At
lantic to Texas ports. the yard stick
method of determining we're applied.
The haul from New Yor!: to Calves
ton. he said, is equivalent to $50 miles
by rail. this having been fixed by the
]. c. c. He specified certain commod-
titles on which the rate from New York
to Galveston is less than the interstate
rate on the same commodity is with a
maximum of 10 miles.
One specific complaint is discrimin-
alton in rates on canned goods TO |
points in Northern Oklahoma. COM
pared 10 ra:~s in Kansas and Mis-
souri,. Examiner W. A. Diaque asked
Of the carriers Thurs
day if they would consider an adjust
ment of these rates. They asked time
to consider. Friday, J. 4. JohaBsen,
chairman of the Southwestern Freight
Rate Bureau, said the carriers did not
feel that the rate should be less than
the O102 scale, and that il the present
rates to Northern Oklahoma were dis
the adjustment would
have to be made by making the rates
to this territory slightly less and in
creasing the rates to Kansas and Mis-
souri, points.
May Require New Hearing.
1t has been definitely decided that
the next hearing of the case, at which
Arkansas and Louisiana interests will
be heard, will be held in Galveston on
February 20. The question raised
Thursday by representatives of the
carriers and the San Antonio freight
rate bureau, as to the reasonableness
Of the interstate rates to Texas not
being an issue in the case, was not
brought up at the meeting Friday.
Both interests claimed Thursday that
in their Interpretation of the COM
plant this matter was not to have been
brought up, and that if it is an issue
the case will have to be tried over to
allow them to arrange their testimony
accordingly. While the question has
apparently been dropped all parties
are of the opinion that It.
has not been permanently dispensed
with and that it may possibly lead TO
a reversal Of the case and an entire
new hearing.