Article August 5, 1911 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

In what are known as the Spokane-Reno-Pacific coast cases the interstate commerce commission has ordered material reductions in freight rates from the East to points between Denver and the western terminals of the great transcontinental railroads. For many years the railroads have exacted from shippers to intermediate points, such as Spokane and Reno, higher rates on eastern freights than were charged for the much longer hauls to Seattle, San Francisco, and other Pacific coast points. The theory has been that the railroads must meet water competition to the Pacific coast. The higher rates to intermediate points, arbitrarily fixed, have been defended by a comparison with the coast rates, plus a theoretical back haul from the coast to the inland stations along the line. The commission recognizes the right of a railroad to meet water competition to Pacific coast points, but practically wipes out the back haul rates to inter-Rocky mountain territory. It lays down what it considers would be fair and just rates to various freight zones in the West and gives the railroads until Oct. 15 to adjust their tariffs accordingly. The commission also lays down the important principle that hereafter railroads will not be permitted to fix arbitrary market limits and that hereafter commercial conditions rather than the will of railway traffic managers shall control rates on transcontinental transportation.

Great efficiency and economy were shown by the battleship Delaware on her cruise to England for the coronation. The average speed for the round trip was II.85 knots. The ship left New York on June 4 with 2,749 tons of coal and 282 tons of fuel oil. She arrived at Torbay, England, on June 16 and at Spithead on June 19. She left Spithead on June 28 and arrived at Boston on July 9. During her stay abroad the Delaware took no fuel, engineering supplies or stores of any kind, with the exception of some fresh water, and on reaching Boston she had remaining 607 tons of coal and eighteen tons of fuel oil. This shows that after a period of one month and five days, during which time she crossed the Atlantic twice, the ship had sufficient fuel remaining to steam fifteen hundred miles.

As the result of an investigation of the United Shoe Machinery Company, which has been conducted for the department of justice during the past five months and has just been completed, Attorney-General Wickersham has directed that the evidence obtained be presented to the federal grand jury, which was summoned in for that purpose this week. This investigation, conducted in secrecy, has been extensive, covering the United Shoe Machinery operations in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and the evidence is to be presented to a circuit court grand jury through a large number of witnesses. No witnesses from foreign countries have been summoned, but documentary evidence is in the possession of the government.

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