Evening star., 1928-12-19
B|TUM|NOUS RATE
OF S13 AFFIRMED
Berry Approves Freight From
New River Mines to Pow
er Plant at Benning.

Previous findings of the Interstate
Commerce Commission upholding a rate
of $3.I3 a ton on bituminous coal from
the New River mines in West Virginia
TO the plant of the Potomac Electric
Power Co. at Benning, d. c., were
affirmed in report proposed to the
commission today by Examiner Charles
w Berry.
The report, if approved by the COM
mission, means that power consumers
of washington will not benefit by a
reduction in the cost of coal to the
power company, estimated by Lindley
Z. Sinclair, general superintendent of
the company, at between 100000 and
$4,000 a year. Mr.. Sinclair testified
during hearings on the application of
the company for reduction in the
freight rates on coal for Benning de-
livery that if this amount were saved
by the proposed reduction the saving
would be passed on to the consumers of
power in Washington through lowered
electric rate.
The examiner proposed that the order
of suspension issued in previous find
ing be vacated and the proceedings be
discontinued. At the same time the
commission examiner upheld former
findings that rates on soft coal on the
Norfolk g. Western Railway from Vir-
ginia, West Virginia and Kentucky to
the District of Columbia and adjacent
destinations in Maryland and Virginia,
were unduly prejudicial to the extent
that they exceeded rates cotemporan-
eously maintained from mines on the
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in COM
parable districts. He also urged that
another former finding be upheld that
rates on soft coal from mines in the
New River district on the Chesapeake
81 Ohio to Washington. for Baltimore
SS Ohio delivery, and to Relee and Ross
lyn, Va, were unduly prejudicial to the
extent that they exceed the rates main
tanned from the same district TO WASH
ington, for Pennsylvania delivery.
Own Lines.
The Pennsylvania and Baltimore &
Ohio ar the only carriers owning tracks
in Washington. The Potomac Electric
Power Co. asked that the rate OF $3.l3
on soft coal from New River mines on
the C. & o. to Benning and Washing
ton, for Baltimore & Ohio delivery, be
reduced to $2.84, to bring it into line
with rates for delivery at nearby points
in Virginia. Counterclaims were filed
by Northern operators against the pro-
posed schedules, who alleged rate pref
udice against them would result. The
majority of Southern coal moving to
Washington is delivered on the
Pennsylvania tracks at $2.84-per-ton
rate and to the Potomac Electric Power
Co. at Benning at rate of $3.13 per
ton.
Since the original hearing two years
ago, the commission, in general in
Quiry into bituminous coal rates in the
East. prescribed rate of $271 from the
umberland-Pie iedmont- -Meyersdale dis
trict served by the Baltimor & Ohio,
to Washington. This rate became ef-
fective June S, 1928.
The Washington Board of Trade and
the Chamber of Commerce joined in
protest against an increase in the fiat
rate to $3.13, claiming that Washington
and adjacent points and all points with
in seven-mile radius of the Union
Station should be established as metro
politan district and treated as one ter
minal
"The washington interests are ma
turally interested in securing as low
rates as possible" the examiner said,
and expressed the view that $2.1
rate from the Southern fields to the
Washington district would be reason
able rate. But their witnesses were
wholly incompetent"
Examiners Statement.
hare any knowledge of the transporta-
ton or operating conditions, the dis
tanceS from the coal mines TO Washing
ton, the rates maintained to other desti-
nations, or of any of the facts usually
considered in determining the reason
sbleness of rates." the examiner said.
1.-The evidence, giving due conSidera-
ton to the operating and transportation
conditions, the length of hauls and
other facts of record, is convincing that
a $3.13 rate from the Southern fields to
the Washington district is not more
than reasonable maximum rate"
the examiner said.
Three railroads which haul soft coal
from the New River district-ths
Chesapeake & Ohio, the Norfolk &
Western and the Virginian-applied last
Summer for an increase in the rate
from $2.64 to S313 ton. The Potomac
Electric Power Co. did not join in the
proceeding. This application was only
touched upon by the examiner today,
although it enters in any consideration
of coal rates to points in Washington.
Mr. Berry used the following language
In referring to this application:
IF there is merit to complainant's
(Potomac Electric Power Coz conter-
ton that Benning is unjustly discrim-
mated against, such discrimination will