The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-07-13
Railroads Re
duce L. c.. l..
Freight Rate
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Sets Aside Fargo Zone,
Order In Force for Years I
THIS CITY AFFECTED
New Rates Effective July I
Are Slightly Below that
of the Trucks t

Several years ago the Sank Cen
ire business men and other shippers
were badly Disseminated against
the railroad freight rates when the
Fargo jobbers caught the Twin City
wholesalers and Minnesota Railroad
and Warehouse commission asleep
at the switch, and caused the In
terstate Commerce commission to
promulgate a less than car load
lot freight rates which was discrim-
inatory. va
AS the Herald recalls the Fargo
business men based their demand
for the zone rate on the allegation
that the jobbing houses of the
Twin Cities and wholesalers in
smaller cities within radius of
$50 miles of Fargo furnished com5
petition with which the Fargo in
terests could not compete because
Of what they alleged, were discrin1-
inatory freight rates.
The railroads had nothing to do
with this proposed rate. A large
part of the state was not affected.
Although no wholesale house has
been doing business in this city at
the time nor for some time prev
ious, Sank Centre was one Of the
cities affected. -,
Cities like Alexandria where the
old Minnesota freight rate contin-
ued to apply, were not affected. A
hundred pounds Of sugar could be
shipped from Alex to this city for
several cents less than the same
sugar could be shipped from this
city to Alex. Flour could be shipped
from Freeport through Sank Gem
ire to points on the TX" line for
a lower rate than -four could be
shipped from this city to the same
point.
The increased rate was costing
the business men of this city sew
eral thousands of dollars each
year.
Appeals were made by the Min
nesota Railroad and Warehouse
commission to have the rates equal
lied but the Interstate Commerce
commission gave deaf ear to
their petitions.
Several years ago the Raymond
Brothers Corporation made applica-
ton to enter this city. Their pro-
posed rate was the old Minnesota
rate. This proposed rate would
save about IA cents per hundred on
the average class of less than car
load shipments. The local business
men gave the Raymond Brothers
every encouragement, and at the
hearing held in this city urged the
railroad and warehouse commission
to grant the truck line the privilege
of entering this city and continuing
on to Long Prairie. The order was
issued. ~
The increasing truck traffic on
the highways have lead many citi-
zens to the conclusion that the tax
payers in maintaining the highways
are paying too high a price to be
SO severely handicapped by the In
creasing truck business. They be-
gan to realize that the railroads
owned and kept in repair their own
rights of. way and roadbeds and
were handling but a small amount
of the less than carload shipments.
The Interstate Commerce COM
mission have recently set aside the
Fargo zone rates and the railroads
July z promulgated new rates az
fecting this city. For every class
they are lower than the rate grant
ed Raymond Brothers, but the lat
ter's rate include the picking up
and delivering Of the freight. Their
service has been prompt.
The following schedule shows the
new railroad rates from this city
CONTINUED on Page Five)