Imperial Valley press., 1926-01-15
GIVES RESUME OF CASES HANDLED BY
STATEFARM BUREAU ORGANIZATION
IN BATTLE ON CORPORATION RATES

Imperial Valley residents, who are
already familiar in general way
with the legal work carried on by
the state farm bureau federation
in behalf of the farmers against high
railroad and other corporation rat
es. will be interested in the follow
ing resume of recent cases handled
by the law and utilities department
ration.
This list compiled by J. J. Deuel..
chairman of that department, pre-
sents further arguments in favor of
farm bureau membership, in that it
shows the results which can be OBJ
tanned by such united body.
Deuel's summary is as follows:
Here's List of Cases
ID I. c. c. Docket No. 2262,
known as the top icing case, in
which the railroads tried to secure
an increase of $4,000 per ear in re-
frigeration charges to all who ship
lettuce o. other products by what is
known as the top icing method.
This ease has Just been decided in
our favor.
(2) Truck transportation cases
before the California railroad com
mission. These are the cases where
what are known as the franchise
carriers tried to compel by court ac-
tion and other means the placing of
all parties doing what is known as
on call hauling and who had been
operating under the amendment to
the auto stage and truck transporta-
tion act, which exempted agricul-
tural products from the franchise
provision of that act. TO secure a
franchise and operate under the iur-
isdiction of the commission. This
case was decided in our favor on
December 21, 1925.
Crate Rate Boost
(3) |. c. c. Docket No. 1926,
known as the estimated weights on
lettuce case. This is a case where
the railroads applied for permission
TO increase the weight per crate un.
der which lettuce is shipped which
would cause a material increase in
the freight. The case has been tried
and submitted, briefs filed, and is
awaiting decision by the commits
sion.
a. Ex Parte No. 81 Interstate
This was an application by all rail
roads in the western group, covering
% western states for an II per cent
increase in all rates. The request
Of the roads was later reduced to :
per cent and fresh fruit and vege
tables were eliminated. But the
application still stands as to a very
large number of commodities. Sew,
eral hearings have been held, bu,
! the case is not yet finished.
(5) Ex Parte No. 81 Interstate
This is the same as the above case
but applies to local rates on all com
modities in the state of California
The first hearing on this case is
set for February Is, before the
California railroad commission, al
San Francisco.
Power Co. Inventory
(6) Application of the Southern
Sierras Power company for a com
plete new inventory and valuation
of its property and an increase in
rates, is now pending before the
commission and will not be complet
ed for several months.
! (0 Applications of the Midway
Gas Co., Southern California Gas
| Co., and Southern Counties Gas Co.
for an increase in rates. Farmers
in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange
and San Bernardino counties use
gas from these companies and would
county in the southern half of the
state would be affected indirectly
by an increase in price to the elec
tric companies, who use large quan
titles Of gas for fuel. These cases
have been partly tried and are still
pending. Further hearing will b'
held in Los Angeles the last of thii
month and next. go.
Condemnation Suits
(8) Three condemnation suit
are pending by the cities Of SaI
Francisco and Los Angeles agains
the Pacific Gas and Electric com
pany, Great Western Power com
pany, and Southern California Edi
son company, which will cause /;
shift of taxes of about three mil
lion dollars per year from the tw'
cities to the balance Of the state