The Bismarck tribune., 1925-09-10
PRAISES ROADS
FOR ECONOMY
OF OPERATION
r. H. Ashton of Railway AS.
scciatiOn Declares Proper.
ties in Fine Shape
CITES HEAVY LOADINGS
Fuel Bill in Freight Service
Alone Cut Nearly Eigh-
teen Million

SNICdXO, Sept. IV.-Nfi-1Hc Hc
railroad rate burden was termed
Baby on the doorstep BY both
Chairman Clyde B. Aitchison of
the interstate Commerce Com.
mission and W. II. b emncr, re.
ceiver for the Minneapolis and
St. Louis Railway, today.
that the roads had left the
"Baby on the commissions door
STEP and Mr.. Bremner replied
that previously the commission
had deposited it On the step Of
the railroads.
Mr.. Bremner, testifying today in
the hearing on the western carriers
petition for five per cent fire ght
advance. asserted that without heavy
freight rate reductions ordered by
the commission since 1920, his road
would not now be in receivership.
He added that security holders of
the road were virtually devotlng
their investment to public service
without any compensation.
Points To Bankruptcy
Chairman Aitchison asked Bremner
why his company had not offered a
concrete proposal for relief, and ask
ed why the Mountan-Pacific terri
tory was included in the western.
The chairman also asked him why
he had not taken advantage OF rate
increases permitted in Minnesota
Bremner answered that he had IN
creased passenger rates and also has
somewhat advanced freight rates
within Minnesota. but added: "ln
our entire territory we cannot ad-
vance our freight rates if our COM
petitors 60 not advance theirs"
When Mr.. Bremner said he had
no concrete proposal for relief, but
had heard a rumor of one, the chair
man said "You don't think it is fair,
do you. to leave this baby on our
doorstep"
"Well, back in 1922, you put a baby
on our doorstep that put us into
bankruptcy" Bremner replied.
Sees Aid
Mr.. Bremner in conclusion said he
believed when the record in the case
was complete, the commission would
find a way to help the northwestern
lines by special treatment.
R. II. Ashton, president Of the
American Railway Association. told
the commission that thus far this
year the railroads had far exceeded
all records for handling carload
freight and had done it with the
greatest economy and efficiency.
Chicago. Sept. 10.-(R-Intending
to show that the Interstate Com
merce Commissions suggestion of
1922 that the railroads look to "ef-
ficiency and economy in operation
offers no solution of the problems
of the western roads, President R.
H. Ashton, Of the American Rail-
way association today described the
conditions of the roads as the best
they have ever been. He was testi-
flying in the western freight rate ad-
vance case.
$50 far in 1926" Ashton said,
"the railways of the country have
handled the largest number of car
loads of freight ever transported in
any similar period. and carriers are
operating with the greatest economy
and efficiency ever shown.
Heavy Loading
"From Jan. l to August Is. 1925,
enue freight, as compared with 29,-
1928 and 27,95l 900 in 1920. Despite
these record figures in 1925, despite
the fact that loadings for several
weeks past have been in excess Of
one million cars a week, there has
been an ample surplus of both
freight cars and locomotives avail
able.
Increase in Efficiency
"Other figures show this same in
crease in the efficiency and econ
omy of operations. Considering the
western railways alone, it appears
that these lines in 1924 reduced their
fuel bill in the freight service by
almost $l8,O0O,O00 as compared with
1920. In the passenger service there
was corresponding saving of al
most $4,OO0OOO in the 1924 fuel
Continued on page three)