Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-23
RAIL WAY
COAL Freight RATE
Washington Business inter-
eStS Hit Increase on C. & 0.
to 1913 a Ton.

Washington business interests TODAY
placed before the Interstate Commerce
Commission formal protest against the
freight raise to SS.lS per gross ton on
- >@il@ai sinokelesS coal coming into
Washington over t'ie lines OF the Ches-
apea6e & Ohio, Norfolk s Western and
the Virglnian Railroads. as proposed by
these carriers. effective August 10. The
Washing tcnisnS Insisted that Washing
ton gas bills will be higher if the new
rates prevail and urged upon the COM
mission uniform rate of S2.Tl per
gross ton ana the designation of Wash
1neton as enc terminal for coal as is
ocne Tor practically all other products
fer Matchmaking purposes,
Effect Of Suspension Order.
Should the commission heed the pro-
tests frca the West Virginia. coal pro-
oUcerS the Federal Government and the
Washington business interests and sus-
pend the increased rates the commits
sion could delay the date of the new
rates becoming effective for seven call
eniar months. while the whole matter
was being examined. Meanwhile the
Southern carriers are being given an
opportunity to file an answer to these
protests over their rate raise.
Predicting disastrous results" if the
added tariffs are permitted to prevail
on soft coal coming into Washington,
the local business interests enumsrate
these as follows. The deDriving of
Washington consumers Of the SmokeIeSs
Goals NJ the southern districts OF Vir-
sinis and West Virginia and Kentucky
which taey prefer the elimination Of
existing competition 80 that IL increased
the cost 81 coal from thu Northern pro-
duciag area of Pennsylvania and Mary
land may confidently be expected lin
Tde elimination 'of the Southern coal
producers from the Washington mar
ket under the impossible handicap of a
rate disadvantage Of a. cents per gross
ton, as compared with the rate ap-
plIcsble on coal produced by their pres
ent competitors nj the Northern dis
trlet OH the Baltimore a. Ohio and
Pennsylvania Railroads"
SignerS of The Petition.
These business interests Joined in the
Petition: The Washington Board of
Trade. the Merchants and Manufac-
tuTeTs' Association the Washington
Real Estate Board the Washington Gas
Light Co. the District Of Columbia
PAPER Manufacturing Co. and the OPP
erative Builders Association of the Dis
trict Of Columbia. These petitioners
made the protests OF tbs New River
Coal Operators Association. the Wind
Ing Gulf Operators Association. the
P0cahontas Operators Association. the
Tug River Coal Operators Association.
and the Operators Association of the
Williamson Field, which were fled last
weak with the Interstate Commerce COM
mission part Of their own protest" The
Federal Government. through w H.
Quigg. acting ce-ordinator for traffic.
fliea a protest against the freight rate
advance last week also on the ground
that the economy program of the Gov
eminent would be affected
The business men advised the COM
mission that the proposed tariffs have
The effect of increasing the rates from
the various producing districts. which
hare heretofore been. and nov are,
S2-e4 per gross ton. TO 1913 per gross
ten
These tariffs. providing for said in
creased rates. have been filed ostensihly
70 comply With the orders of the In
ferstate Commerce Commission in
6oclzat 1884 10 remove the prejudice
against Fadefev g. Co and John p.
AgneW &, Co. Inc, found by the COM
mission IN said case 10 exist but II must
be borne IN mind tf1at the record III
thai csse shows tiaat these companies
actually handle not more than $4,000
gross tons Of coal from the Southern
districts Is against total from these
fields sold in the Washington market
fcr the year 1926 Of Az. TeI gross tons