Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-17

the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion places in issue all OF the class
rates now effective throughout this
entire territory.
A. result Of an investigation b.
gun In 1915 the Interstate Commerce
Commission fixed M q reasonable
basis within Central Freight Terri
tory class rate. scale predicated ON
the mileage principle. thereby ex-
tending TO each shipping point the
benefit OF its geographical location.
This basis h still In effeck. although
changed to the extent OF the several
general increases and reduction au-
thorized from time to time by pub.
lie authority.
Following the publication Of the
rates in central freight territory the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
upon petition. instituted an invssti-
cation of the class rates effective
within New England; and after ex-
tended hearings promulgated as rea-
sonable class rates ON the lines of
all carriers, except the Bangor &
Aroostook r. r. and the Canadian
Pacific Ry.. what il now known as
tho Anderson class SCALE These rates
became effective late in 1919 and
like the rates previously established
for central freight territory. are
bases on the mileage principle. New
England was divided into two
groups. which were determined ac-
cording to trafflc density, the South
ern New England Lines being placed
In one group and the Northern New
England Lines, including the Maine
Central Railroad. In the second
group. Because Of the lighter traf-
fic density. the rates for the second
group were made slightly higher
than for the first group. It may
here be stated that the New Eng
land roads have never realized the
full benefit of the Anderson scale
rates because OF lower rates effective
between New England and trunk
line territory.
Thus It will be seen that within
the eastern and western sections Of
official classification territory the
railroads have been operating under
and the shippers have been paying
class rates which bear. the stamp OF
approval of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. In the middle section,
| namely. trunk line territory, no in
vestigation or revision Of the class
rates has been made up to this time.
nor has there been any investiga-
ton or revision of the rates be-
! tween New England and trunk line
+, territory.
/ Because of numerous complaints
] and for the purpose of establishing
a uniform and logical rate structure,
| the trunk line railroads have pro-
posed a scale of class rates for their
! territory which they believe will be
in harmony with the rates within
central freight and New England
territories and this is the primary
cause of the investigation now insti-
tuted by the Interstate Commerce
Commission. It is at once apparent
that any change of rates in one zone
affects the existing rates more or less
in the other zones and any investi-
cation by the Interstate Commerce
Commission must necessarily include
all of the rates in the entire terri
tory. 1t is, therefore, obvious that
the commissions order Is made
broad enough to bring before it all
! of the necessary data to enable it
to determine what the reasonable
rate structure should be.
| In accordance with pre-arranged
plans approved by the Interstate
, Commerce Commission, the rate
| proposals of the railroads have been
,, placed before the public that it may
be fully Informed and after study
present to the commission its ap-
prevail or disapproval, either in
whole or in part. or offer its own
suggestions bearing on the problem
: of reconstruction of the present
rates..
10 H. fr,v, ton Q
, broad enough to include all Of the
Railroad applicable to interstate
traffic and the result may possibly
have some effect upon it's class rates
applicable to intrastate traffic. So
far as the rates between New Eng
land points are concerned, the pro-
posal bf, the railroads does not mean
any change in the present class rate
scales, except to give the New Eng
land carriers the full benefit of the
Anderson Glass Scale. On this basis
1t Is expected that very little change,
IL any, will be made in the rates be-
tween points on the Maine Central
Railroad and othel points located
within New England. Between Maine
Central points and points in the
Trunk Line zone there are at the
present time no joint through rates
from and to that part OF the State of
Maine located east of Brunswick and
Lewiston. Any traffic to and from
the eastern part Of the State pays the
Joint through rate to and from
Brunswick. Between points on the
Maine Central and points in the
Central Freight zone there are Joint
through rates except from points
east of Oakland. Milford and Was
ington Jet. These joint through
rates are the same as the rates Ee-
tween Portland or Boston and points
In Central Freight territory. In
many instances this adjustment pro-