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Show 1 RATE HEARINGS - T0BEIMPL1RTAN1 I Western Roads Propose Gen eral Revision of Their Freight Rates. INCREASES OPPOSED Evidence From Both Shippers and Railroads to Be Heard and Reviewed. Washington, Jan. 4. Public hearings hear-ings on freight rate Increases pro posed by railroads west of the ,Min (ISfippj river will begin in Chicago, Pel ruary 15. and will lie conducted by interstate Commerce Commissioner Dfl niels. The hearings will mark the beginning begin-ning in public fif an important case utiallv different from the recent eastern cafe, n that the western roads pre not asking for horizontal increase in all rates, but an Increase based on traffic conditions and upon the movement of individual classei and commodities. Some of the advances proposed aggregate ag-gregate .is much as 30 per cent, while others amount to only 2 or 1 per cent. On some kinds of traffic no Increases have been proposed. Western Roads Revising Rates. It is understood the western road-have road-have endeavored to revise their rates so as not to bear too hard on the general shipper. All of the tariffs submitted by the western roads have been suspended by the commission. Protests particularly particu-larly from the railroad commissions of the western states have been filed with the commission and concerted ?ction by the state commission will be taken in opposition to the in-creasep in-creasep It was announced that February 15, 16, 17 and 18 would be devoted to the presentation of evidence from respondents supporting in general their claim for increased rates but not including evidence In support of increases of particular rates. Beginning Begin-ning Monday, March 15, opporl unity will be given for the presentation of evidence in rebuttal of such general testimony." Program for Hearings. The program for the hearings follows fol-lows : February 19-24, grain and srain products. February 25-27. live stock, fresh meat, packinghouse products and fertilizer. fer-tilizer. March 1-2, hay, straw and broom corn. March 3-5, cotton piece goods. Marcn 6-9. coal and coke. March 10. salt March 11-12, fruit and vegetables March 13, rice and rice products March 15 18, shippers, and any opposing op-posing the increases, will have opportunity op-portunity to present evidence in . e-Luttal e-Luttal to the claims of the railroads. |
