The Coconino sun., 1924-01-04
new WOOL RATES ARE
REGARDED AS VICTORY

Recommendation to the interstate
commerce commission that freight
rates on wool from western points to
Boston be reduced and that a 45 per
cent reduction in wool rates from
Arizona points to Pacific coast points
be ordered, Examiner Howard C. Faul
of the interstate commerce commits
sion has submitted tentative report
to the commission on the whole wool
rate situation.
Rates proposed by the examiner
will reduce wool shipment costs from
S2.70 to $2.56 from Phoenix to Boston,
and from $2.611a to $2.45 on ship
ments from Flagstaff to Boston. Hot
Springs Junction, another shipping
point for wool viii take the Phoenix
rates, according to the state corpora
tion commission.
Wool is the only commodity that
bears a higher rate from Arizona to
the eastern markets than is charged
from Pacific coast points through Ari-
Zona to the same markets. During the
war when the intercoastal ships were
withdrawn from the Panama canal
route there were no violations of the
long and short haul law except upon
wool. Western wool growers chaffed
under this practice and the interstate
commerce commission started gem
eral investigation of the rates and
practices of the railroads in the move
ment of wool, holding hearings at sew
eral wool centers in the west includ-
ing Phoenix.
The Arizona Wool Growers associa-
tion engaged the traffic firm of
Jones, Blaine and Jones of Phoenix
to present their case at the hearing
in Phoenix May IA last. Officers of
the association and leading wool grow
ers of the state testified concerning
the industry and the increased costs
driving and other governmental re-
strictions.
Jones, Blaine and Jones showed that
rates from San Pedro and San Fran
cisco to Boston ranged from $1.35 to
$1.70 per hundred pounds while from
Phoenix it was $500. 1t was also
shown that Arizona as a whole was
paying higher rates than from many
points in Montana, Utah, Wyoming
and other states to the north, and
that wool was in fact paying higher
rates than woolen clothing and blan-
kets Notwithstanding wool as shipped
from the sleeps back contains &c per
cent dirt and grease.
"The report of the examiner up
holds Arizona's position that rates
from Arizona should not exceed those
applying from California on traffic
moving to the east" said F. A. Jones
in commenting on the findings of the
examiner. "No doubt the railroads
will advance the rates from the coast
somewhat to keep from making any
greater reduction from Arizona than
is necessary" he said, "but if they
advance them greatly from the coast
the wool will move through the Pan
anna canal so we are protected in that
way. We will also get a substantial
reduction in rates to San Diego and
San Pedro, 55 per cent of the first
class rate which will afford US water
competition to the Atlantic seaboard
and hold down rail rates"
II regard the findings of the COM
mission as being a decided victory for
the wool men that will mean to them
large saving in their transporta-
ton. Another thing" he added, "is
that the findings provide for transit
privileges, that is the stopping of
shipments in transit to store or finish
loading, something our wool men have
never had, although it has been prac-
ticed in some of the wool states to
the north"