The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-04-18
RATE HEARING
OF ESPECIAL
IMPORTANCE
Grain Rates For Entire C0un'
try Will Be Considered in
the Investigation

hearing in the grain rate case, set
for hearing at Dallas, Texas on May
y, recently made by the national
assoc iation OF railroad and public
utility commissioners, is OF especial
Importance TO North Dakota, it was
said today at the offices Of the state
railroad board.
Grain rates for the entire country
will be considered in the investiga.
ton, traffic experts for the board
SAID, and hearings will be held in
all parts Of the country. One i:
expected to be held at St. Paul and
another will be held in North Dakota,
either in Fargo or Bismarck.
Postponement was asked on the
ground that rate experts for the
various states now are busy with
the investigation Of class rates in
ing on which already has been start.
the states have large staffs OF rate
experts it would be necessary for
many Of them to ignore either one
Investigation or the other, the Inter.
state Commerce Commission was told
when the application for postpone
| ment was made.
Mtlh0Il4n at Hearing
Chairman Frank Milhollan OF the
North Dakota commission has been
| in Kansas City for the last 10 days,
attending the hearings in the class
rate case and comforting with repre-
scntatives Of other railroad commits
sions and the Interstate Commerce
Commission on matters relating to
the grain rate hearing. Milhollan has
l NJ nit NJ
nine state railroad commissioners to
sit with the Interstate Commerce
Commission in the grain rate hear
| ing. The state commissioners will
serve as an advisory committee to
the federal body.
The grain rate hearing is Of cspe-
cial Importance to North Dakota be-
cause Of the large volume Of grain
shipped from this state. With the
exception Of Ignite coal. the tonnage
Of grain and grain products shipped
from North Dakota exceeds the ton
mage Of all other freight combined,
!, records of the railroad board show
and North Dakota grain rates are
involved in the general investigation
which was launched by the federal
body on it's own motion pursuant to
a congressional resolution directing
it to fix the lowest rates practicable
on oil farm products.
State Boards Join In Probe
r! Indirectly state rates also are in
volved, the Interstate Commerce
Commission having notified stat
boards throughout the country tina
!. they would be expected to cithe
join in the investigation or TAX
2 cognizancc Of the decision of tn
a board in adjusting state rates whel
Y the final decision in the case is an
r nounccd. In order to protect thei
: state rates as well as the interstate
n rates affecting them, all Of the rail
! road boards Immediately Joined il
i the investigation, it was said at th
t railroad board offices here.
e. In addition to rates, minimum
! weights, stopping in transit privil
leges, joint line rates and all othc
matters affecting grain shipment
l. will be considered in the investigs
4 ton. the state board has bee
3 advised.
), Decision in three North Dakot
: cases asking, freight rate reduction
} will be held up by the Interstat
plction Of the general investigation
L
l. In addition to these the investig,
e ton will consider II formal con
y plants which have been filed wit
= the commission.
% Among the latter arc q number I
complaints from shippers in 9th.
n parts Of the country who allege tn,
A. grain rates from North Dakota poin
ve to the terminals arc so low as
'e be preferential when compared wit
,e rates effective in other parts Of Il
b. country. In some Of these cases Il
to complainants allege that the Nor
ne Dakota rates should be raised n
at their own reduced, traffic experts +
nd the board said.
The freight-rstc staff Of the RAJ
road hoard now Is preparing exhibi
and other evidence designed to she
that North Dakota already Is payil
more than its share and that freig
rates on grain shipped from til
r state should be reduced.