with the Interstate Commerce Commission. Our jurisdiction to determine the reasonableness and justness of any such order of the President relates to "any rate, fare, charge, classification, regulation, or practice of any carrier under federal control." The findings and orders which the Commission may enter after hearing are such as are authorized by the act to regulate commerce as amended.

There have been raised at least two important questions relating to the fourth section of the act to regulate commerce as affected by the federal control act. The first is whether pending fourth section applications filed by the carriers protecting their deviations from the rules of the fourth section, until a determination of the applications by the Commission, may be continuously passed upon as heretofore; the second is whether the rules of the fourth section apply to rates initiated under the federal control act.

Under the language of section 8 of the federal control act quoted above the Director General may avail himself of our advice, assistance, and cooperation. It has been and is our disposition and policy to respond to such requests, and when necessary or appropriate, we take testimony and hear arguments from interested parties in the premises. Important instances are the pending consolidated classification case and the express case reported in 51 I. C. C. 263 hereafter discussed.

FORMAL DOCKET.

The number of formal complaints filed is 342, a decrease of 309 as compared with the previous year. During the same period 576 cases have been decided and 77 have been dismissed by stipulations or on complainant's request, making a total of 653 disposed of, as against 852 during the previous year.

We conducted 596 hearings and took approximately 104,983 pages of testimony, as compared with 1,228 hearings and 210,133 pages of testimony during the preceding year.

The reduction in the number of formal complaints is attributable in large part to the patriotic motives of shippers, and in part to the amendment to the fifteenth section of the act elsewhere referred to

INVESTIGATION AND SUSPENSION DOCKET.

The amendment of August 9, 1917, to section 15 of the act prohibits carriers from filing schedules of increased rates, fares, or charges except after approval thereof has been secured from the Commission. The operation of this law naturally has had the anticipated effect of substantially reducing the number of instances in which the power to suspend proposed increased rates, fares, or charges filed by carriers was sought or exercised.

During the period covered by this report 10 such proceedings have been instituted, a decrease of 186 as compared with the previous

year, and 103 such proceedings have been disposed of, a decrease of Under supplementary orders of suspension many proposed new schedules were added to pending investigations.

120.

During the same period the Commission declined to suspend protested schedules in 18 instances, a decrease of 218 as compared with the previous year.

BUREAU OF CORRESPONDENCE AND CLAIMS.

The policy of the Commission toward informal complaints directed against carriers under federal control was outlined in its announcement to the public of June 20, 1918.

The number of informal complaints received during the year was 5,458, an increase of 158 over the preceding year. During the same period carriers filed 2,761 special docket applications for authority to refund amounts collected under the published rates, admitted by the carriers themselves to be unreasonable, a decrease of 2,122 under the preceding year. Orders authorizing refunds were entered in 2,752 cases, a decrease of 2,607 under the preceding year, and reparation was so awarded in amounts aggregating $682,900.50. In addition, 182 cases were dismissed or otherwise disposed of without orders. This decrease in special docket applications is due largely to the fact that the United States Railroad Administration has not generally resorted to presentation of the cases on this docket.

INVESTIGATIONS.

The following investigations have been instituted on our own motion:

Into the propriety of divisions, rules, regulations, and practices of the Sugar Land Railway Company and of its connections.

Concerning the propriety of the rates, rules, regulations, and practices of common carriers governing transportation of petroleum and its products between points in official classification territory. Concerning the carload minima governing the transportation of Jumber and lumber products between all points in the United States. For the purpose of determining whether the use by the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway of certain steamboats and barges for the transportation of passengers and freight on the Tennessee River constitutes a violation of section 5 of the act to regulate commerce, as amended.

Into the reasonableness and propriety of descriptions, rules, regulations, ratings, and minimum weights provided in "Proposed Consolidated Freight Classification No. 1," excepting the rules and regulations governing the transportation of explosives and other dangerous articles.

Concerning rates, fares, charges, rules, regulations, and practices contained in freight and passenger tariffs of the Michigan Railway Company.

With a view to the entering of orders fixing fair and reasonable rates and compensation for the transportation of mail matter by urban and interurban electric railway companies in accordance with the act approved July 2, 1918, making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the year ending June 30,

1919.

The following investigations have been concluded:

To determine and define the proper limits of the first, second, third, and fourth zones created by the act entitled "An act to save daylight and to provide standard time for the United States." 51 I. C. C., 273.

Respecting the handling, icing, etc., of private cars by common carriers and the allowances made to owners of such cars. I. C. C., 652.

50

Concerning rates, rules, regulations, and practices governing contracts for private telegraph and telephone wires. 50 I. C. C., 731. Concerning the rules, regulations, and practices of carriers in investigation and adjustment of claims for loss and damage of shipments of grain and grain products moving in bulk. 48 I. C. C., 530. Responsive to request of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the House of Representatives concerning the character and extent of the service and the financial history, transactions, and practices of the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway Company, its leased properties, and its predecessor corporation. 48 I. C. C., 96.

Responsive to Senate resolution of August 15, 1916, in regard to the Charleston & Norfolk Steamship Company. 47 I. C. C., 365. Into the propriety of joint rates between the Combs, Cass & Eastern Railroad and the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway Company. 50 I. C. C., 221.

Into the reasonableness of rates on cement in carloads from points in the Hudson Cement District to points on the lines of the Boston & Maine Railroad, Maine Central Railroad, St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain Railroad, and Montpelier & Wells River Railroad. 49 I. C. C., 502.

Concerning the rates on iron ore from Lake Erie ports to points in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. 48 I. C. C., 650.

The following investigations are still open and reports therein have been made as noted:

Concerning rules and regulations governing the transportation of inflammable and other dangerous articles. Revised regulations prescribed.

Concerning the issuance and use of passes and franks and as to free passenger service. 50 I. C. C., 599.

Concerning the reasonableness of rates on cement between points in western trunk line territory and adjacent territory. 48 I. C. C., 201. Concerning allowances to short lines of railroads serving iron and steel industries. 48 I. C. C., 620; 49 I. C. C., 332; 49 I. C. C., 359.

Concerning the reasonableness of rates on bituminous coal from points in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee to points in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. 50 I. C. C., 1.

The following investigations are still open and no reports have been made therein:

Concerning the propriety of rates, charges, practices, rules, regulations, ratings, classifications, carload minima, differentials for hauls over two or more lines, and bridge tolls or charges applicable on traffic between Memphis and points in Arkansas and contiguous territory in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Concerning the class and commodity rates from eastern cities and interior eastern points, Virginia cities, Buffalo-Pittsburgh territory, Ohio and Mississippi river crossings, south Atlantic and Gulf ports, and points in the Mississippi Valley to points in southeastern territory. Concerning the practices of common carriers in leasing their facilities and other properties to shippers.

Concerning the rules, regulations, and practices with respect to the issuance, transfer, and surrender of bills of lading.

As to the reasonableness of charges upon cars transported as freight on their own wheels, either loaded or empty.

Concerning the rates, practices, rules, regulations, and classification of lumber and products of lumber.

Concerning the rates, rules, regulations, and practices of carriers governing transportation of live stock, fresh meats, and packinghouse products.

Concerning the propriety of joint rates between the Norfolk & Western Railway Company and Big Sandy & Cumberland Railroad Company and the divisions of such rates.

Concerning the propriety of joint rates between the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company and Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company and Oakdale & Gulf Railway Company, and the divisions of such rates.

Concerning the propriety of joint rates and divisions thereof between the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway Company and the New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railway Company and the Kinder & Northwestern Railroad Company.

Concerning issuance, form, and substance of receipts and freight

bills.

With a view to the entry of an order or orders fixing and determining fair and reasonable rates and compensation for the transportation of mail matter by railway common carriers in accordance with section 5 of the act approved July 28, 1916, making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the year ended. June 30, 1917.

Concerning rates, practices, and regulations governing transportation of import traffic as compared with those governing domestic traffic.

THE FOURTH SECTION.

In our last annual report we gave a resumé of important cases decided under the fourth section. The one of most importance and greatest interest was the Transcontinental Case, 46 I. C. C., 236. It was also noted that in correcting their rates in accordance with the terms of our order the carriers had elected to increase certain rates, and that before their schedules containing such increases could be filed section 15 of the act had been amended by providing that no increased rate, fare, or classification should be filed except after approval thereof had been secured from the Commission; and that owing to protests against the schedules offered for filing by the carriers purporting to comply with the order, informal hearings thereon had been arranged. After these hearings our report was issued January 21, 1918, Transcontinental Commodity Rates, 48 I. C. C., 79. We granted certain of the increases via certain of the routes and denied certain other increases via other routes. The effect of these decisions was to bring all of these rates into conformity with the long-andshort-haul rule of the fourth section of the act. Thereby was removed a long standing cause of irritation to the intermountain country and a prolific source of complaints to the Commission.

In our last report we also referred to hearings and investigations had on approximately 200 fourth-section applications of the Denver & Rio Grande, the Colorado & Southern, the Colorado Midland, and the St. Louis-San Francisco roads. Practically all of these applications have been disposed of by orders, the carriers having waived formal reports.

The Director General of Railroads has requested and we have granted fourth section relief in connection with the establishment of certain rates by him.