684 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 



been submitted and approved. This form of procedure has been 

 characterized b)' interested parties as one of the greatest steps for- 

 ward in the industry in many years, and is an evidence of high con- 

 fidence in the officei-s of the Packers and Stockyards Administration 

 who were selected by the parties as arbitrators. On the basis of in- 

 formation in the possession of the arbitrators, it is estimated that the 

 new rat«s would reduce the total revenues of the commission agencies 

 in the four markets on the same volume of business by about $750,000 

 per annum. The arbitrators' decision is resulting in voluntary cor- 

 responding reductions in a number of other markets not covered by 

 the arbitrators, 



A formal hearing was begun at Fort Worth on March 19, 1923. 

 After continuing several days it was proposed by the complainants 

 that the issues in dispute be submitted to arbitration in accordance 

 with the plan at the other markets. This was agreed between the 

 parties and the procedure was approved by the Secretary, The case 

 is now pending. 



The complaint against the commission firms at the Portland mar- 

 ket has not been set for a hearing. 



Docket No. 15. The Secretary of Agriculture v. American Commission Co. and 

 otliers. 



The hearing with reference to the proposed increase in commis- 

 sion charges of the Denver Live Stock Exchange was opened Decem- 

 ber 19, 1922, in the Exchange Building, Denver Union Stock Yards. 

 The representatives of the various producers' organizations ap- 

 peared for the purpose of presenting their testimony regarding the 

 advisability of a new charge. The new tariff, which had been sus- 

 pended for two 30-day periods, would have become effective on Jan- 

 uary 1, 1923, as the period of the extension expired December 31, 



1922. However, the Denver Live Stock Exchange withheld the opera- 

 tion of the new tariff and did not make it effective until March 19, 



1923. The hearing was continued on March 12, 1923, and the report 

 of the results of the investigation of the division of audits and 

 accounts was made a part of the record. The case is still pending. 



Docket No. 16. Tlie Secretary of Agriculture v. Union Stock Yard & Transit 

 Co., Chicago, 111. 



On December 14, 1922, a hearing was conducted at Chicago for 

 the purpose of investigating the reasonableness of an advance of 

 15 cents per bushel in the price of corn, as proposed by the stock- 

 yard company. The new tariff, which had previously been suspended, 

 became effective December 21, 1922. As there was considerable 

 information which had not been checked over by the auditing divi- 

 sion, the record in the case was made a part of the general inquiry 

 in Docket No. 7. A basis for the determination of reasonable stock- 

 yard charges is now under consideration in these dockets. 



Docket No. 17. The Secretary of Agriculture v. Milwaukee Stock Yards Co., 

 Milwaukee, Wis. 



The Milwaukee Stock Yards Co. filed a supplement to its tariff 

 increasing the price of corn 15 cents a bushel. This tariff was sus- 

 rpended for a 30-day period and a hearing was ordered to be held 

 December 28, 1922. Before the time of hearing the respondent com- 



