Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1919 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. RATE HEARING IS RESUMED Hoosier Manufacturer* Resume Presentation of Testimony In Freight Traffic Case' Before Interstate Commerce Commission. Chicago, 111., July 25. —Indiana shippers resumed the presentation of their testimony in the Indiana-Illinois freight rate case before the interstate commerce commission here, giving numerous specific Instances of inequalities in rates operating to their disadvantage. L. A. Clark, representing Ball Brothers of Muncie, glass fruit jar uyinufucturers, was the first witness called. He told of the advantage Jar manufacturers at Hillsboro, 111., have over his firm because of the low rates. He showed where they are able to sfilp their product much more cheaply and to obttfln sand ant] fuel oil used in the manufacture of glass at low rates. R. B. Coapstick of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce was recalled, his testimony showing that in the shipment of canned vegetables Indiana canners must pay 25.7 per cent higher rates than Illinois canners. His testimony was corroborated by K. E. Connett, traffic manager of the Dyer Packing company at Vincennes, who testified that his concern is moving its plant across the river to Illinois in order to take advantage of lower rates. Mr. Connett testified that his concern is now sending Its products by truck to Lawrenceville, HL, and shipping from that point in order to compete with other canners. He produced figures to show that canned goods jpay be shipped from Lawrenceville tcfChicago and then to Cairo cheaper than they can be shipped from Vincennes? to Cairo, although the former trip is about three times as long. One of the most striking examples of freight-rate inequalities was given by W. R. Herbert of Sullivan, who deals In horses and mules. He testified that to ship a carload of stock from Sullivan to East St. Louis, 111., his principal market, cost $lO7, while if he drove them to the Illinois line, 16 miles away, it cost less than S4O. Every Indiana witness was closely cross-questioned by attorneys for Illinois shippers, who contended that most of those who testified would be damaged rather than benefited by an increase in rates in Illinois. ,