OCR Text |
Show CEMENT RATES TO REMAIN JJNCHANGED Washington, April 27. The refusal-of refusal-of tho IntoVstate ."Commerce to permit per-mit several railroads of the west to advance their rates on the transporta- tion of cement, for the reason that ' the carriers are alleged to need additional addi-tional revenue, is the feature of a de clsion handed down today in tho important im-portant Portland cement case. Advances of half a cent to 5 cents a hundred pounds In rates on cement were proposed by tho carriers in trans-Missouri territory, to become effective ef-fective September 1, 1910. affecting a terrltorv which produces approximately approxi-mately two-thirds of the Portland cement ce-ment made in the United States The advances proposed were attacked attack-ed by producers and 3hlppers and the commission suspended the rate, first until November, 1910, and subsequently sub-sequently until July 1, 1911. The points of destination to which the proposed rates apply cover a wide range of terrltorv extending from Illinois Il-linois and Tennessee on the oast to the Rocky Mountain territory on the west. In the opinion promulgated todayt which was prepared by Commissioner McChord, some of the advances are sustained and many of them nre disapproved dis-approved The commission did not accept as de'clsive the statement of the carriers that present cement rates are so low as to be unremunerativo and that the commodities does not bear Its just propbrtlon of the burden of transcorLitlon, the testimony on that feature of the case being regarded regard-ed as "verv meagre " Approval of the increase is given the proposed rates from Portland, Colorado, to all destinations from Kansas city territory and points In Kansas and Oklahoma to points In Texas, and from Bonner Springs and Yccomento. Kas , to various points In Kansas, Iowa, Missouri. Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and New Merico. "With tho cxceptlonR," the commissioner commis-sioner says, "tho prohripty of the new rates has not been shown. If tho carriers do not wlthdrnw the tariffs before May 15th an order will be issued is-sued to maintain existing rats for at least two years." |