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Show SPOKANE RATE CASE - Interstate Commerce Commission Declares Rate to Spokane Unjust Washington, March 2 The Interstate Inter-state commerce commission today decided de-cided the two points In the complaint I filed by the city of Spok'ane against the Northern Pacific, the Great North-cm North-cm and the Union Paciilc.whlch were: First That the rates from eastern destinations to Spokano weio higher than to Seattle, a more distant poiut. Second That the rates to Spokane were inherently unreasonable. On the first point, defendants maintained main-tained that water competition compelled com-pelled them to charge the rates in effect ef-fect to Seattle, and that thereforo they might charge a higher rate to Spokano without violating the long and short haul provision, or without discriminating discrimin-ating against Spokane under tho law. The commission sustains the claim of tho defendants In' this respect, and holds that the rates to Spokane, although al-though higher than to Seattle, aro not unlawful. On the second point, the commission sustains the claim of the petitioner and holds that tho rates from eastern east-ern destinations to Spokane are tin-just tin-just and unreasonable. It reduces class rates from St. Paul to Spokane 16 2-3 per cent and makes substantially substan-tially the same reduction from Chicago Chi-cago to Spokane. Rates east of Chicago Chi-cago are not dealt with. The decision applied In principle to all commodities and to all interior points, muet work a revolution In rates from eastern points of origin to all Interior transcontinental ter-1 ter-1 rltory, 'and in that view, It is one of the most far-reaching decisions over rendered by the commission. |