New Britain herald., 1929-06-04
AGENT ANALYzES
 EXPRESS CHARGES
Explains NeV Britain Btrlin lnd
 NeE Bntlin. Harden Rates

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 An explanation why express rates are cheaper between New Britain and Meriden than they are between New Britain and Berlin. even thoug h packages go through Berlin on the way to Meriden. was Amade by A. ). Caouctte, president of the New Brit ain traffic bureau and agent for the American Railway Express Co.,. at the meeting of the traffic bureau yesterday.
 A report was made on Examiner Carter's report on proposed revised freight rates on anthracite coal shipments to New England inland cities, which showed that new rates would result in difference of 19 cents ton. saving in the aggregate thousands of dollars to New Brit ain industries.
 Mir. Caouette's report was as fol- lows:
 "Sub-bloc rates, that is, rates between points within a given block. as we'll as between points in the block and points in the eight ad- joining blocks, are determined by a count of the lettered subdivisions or sub-blocks proceeding horizontally, vertically or at right angles follow ing the course of the railroad lines. In Zone 1 within which Block 1853 is located. the rate between all points with a sub-block is Scale g. The rate for haul of two sub- blocks, counting from the sub- block Of origin, is Scale 10; three sub blocks Scale II: four Scale 12: five and six Scale 14; seven and eight Scale 16; nine to fifteen inclusive Scale 20. By reference to the at- tached chart it will be noted that New Britain and Meriden are in the same area or sub-block. and, conse- quently, between these offices the minimum rate applies. New Haven Is in the first sub-block south of ths sub-b in which New Britain ia located. and the rate is the rate for g. two sub-block haul. Berlin is jus. over the line in the first sub- -blocl; haul. Berlin is just over the line in the first sub- block east of the area in which New Britain is locat- cd. and that point also enjoys a two sub-block rate from New Britain Hartford is in the third sub -bloci, area at right angles from New Brit. ain and the rate is, therefore, the rate for three sub- blocks or Scale 10.
 Obviously the system unde, which such rates are constructed cannot take into account the rela- tive distances, nor is it possible tc give effect, except in isolated in. stances. to operating conditions While 1t may seem inconsistent tl apply a higher rate from New Brit. ain to Berlin than from New Brit. ain to Meriden, sight should not be lost of the fact that the rate be. tween sub-block E and sub-block + applies not alone between New Brit ain and Berlin but also between all Of the stations in sub-block E and all of the stations in sub-block r. The same thing may be said in mak- ing a comparison of the rates be- tween New Britain and Hartford and between New Britain and New Haven. The distance from New Britain to New Haven is about the maximum distance between any station m sub-block F on the one hand and any station in sub-block on the other, whereas exactly the reverse is true as between New Britain and Hartford. In the New Britain Hartford haul we have the minimum distance between sub- block E and sub-block B. If dis. tance is to be considered at all, il is clearly necessary to give full ef- feet to the average mileage between the different areas, although this oi itself does not account for the rate situation as it exists.
 'The only way in which seeming inequalities from distance stand point could be adjusted, would he to return to a point-to- point basis of making rates. and nothing of the sort is in contemplation at this time.
 The present rate structure for every disadvantage in one direction offers some compensating advantage in another, and that. generally speaking. the present method of ar. -k s- f- I. and equitable as can be devised short of individual rates between in. dividual points,