The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-22
MORE ABOUT
FREIGHT
FROM PAGE ONE

FROM PAGE ONE
January, 1912. This is scheduled to
expire six months after the legal
termination of the war. 1t will
be considered at the commissions
hearing on the overall question of
freight and passenger rate in
creaseS.
Charges Justified
The commission said the rail-
roads have shown that by reason
of already effective increases in
wages and in the prices OF mater
ials and supplies, and declining
volume of freight traffic and reve-
nues from passenger traffic, al
ready experienced or in sight, some
increases in their freight rates and
charges are justified as just and
reasonable and as necessary for
carrying out the purposes of the
national transportation policy de-
clared by Congress-"
1t added, however, that I'VE do
not pass upon the reasonableness
and business of the increases x X X
authorized except as a temporary
and emergency measure, lending
the full hearing X X"
Agriculture Rates
The six percent increase applies
to all commodities except agricul
tural products, livestock and it.
products, and low-grade product.
of mines, such as sand, gravel
broken rock and Stag. For these
the increase approved is three
percent.
The five percent hike for eastern
or official territory railroads doe.
not apply to anthracite, bituminou'
coal, Ignite and iron ore. Sp- cifit
increases approved for these com
modities are generally applicable
over the whole country.
The rates on iron ore will be
increased two cents per gross tor
in the East and three cents in the
Southern and Western district.
and three and thr and a hal,
cents per ton, net or gross, on in.
terterritorial traffic.
Coal Increases
The increases permitted in 194f
on anthracite coal and coke will,
be further increased three cents
per ton. The order adds six anc
seven cents per net and gross tor
to rates now $1.00 or less, anc
eight and nine cents per net anc
gross ton when the rates are more
than $1.0O
Free pickup and delivery serv
ice, the commission said, or allow
ance to the shipper for such serv
ice should not be afforded wher
the line-haul rate is less than 81
cents per 100 pounds.
The commission refused t,
speculate on the met effect" of the
increases except to say that it.
statf estimates that on the volume
OF traffic in sight the increase O:
] gross revenue to the carriers will
be about 1890, 600, 900 annually.
5 OPA Director Paul Porter told {
reporter he will need a few day,
OF study before forecasting VIVA.
effect, if any, the boosts will have
on the prices of goods hauled BY
rail and water.
OPA Opposes
At the commissions week-lons
hearings on the railroads petit
: ton in May, OPA and the stabiliza
ton office came out fatty agains
any increases for at least a wear
beyond the minimum required by
law. The law requires the com
mission to set rates which will en-
able the railroads to provide ade
quate and efficint transportation
service.
The two agencies commended the,
t that rate increases could prov,
S disastrous" to the stabilizatio,
program.
: referring to the higher increas,
e allowed eastern railroads. the com
mission said their financial ant
traffic situation "as a whole lust
S ~ and reasonably entities them t.
a relatively greater increases il
e their freight rates and charges
than other carriers.
h The rate of return on the proper
ty investment of Eastern lines wa
h 4.3o percent in 1915, the commits
Y sion said, compared with $50 TO
Southern carriers and ST. TO
r Western railroads. It added:
1t would have required add
tlonal revenue to the amount {
II about $e6, 900, 900 in 1915 to hav
brought the eastern district to tn
same earning basis as the remain
ing lines"