12 BULLETIjS' 74, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUBE. 



BLANKET RATES. 



An example of a "blanket" or ''postage-stamp" rate — that is, the 

 same charge for a given commodity between any two landings — is 

 afforded by the traffic on the Apalachicola River and its tributaries. 

 Also the tariff for river boats, issued under the authority of the 

 Railroad Commission of Louisiana, No. 8467-S, appHes to traffic 

 between any two landings from New Orleans up to Devalls Landing. 

 A large number of commodities are separately rated. For those not 

 included in the commodity rates the Western Classification as used 

 by railroads applies. The numbered classes, which apply to less- 

 than-carload shipments, are charged from 15 cents for class 5 to 30 

 cents per 100 pounds for class 1; and the lettered classes, which 

 apply to carload shipments, are charged from 8 cents for class E to 

 15 cents per 100 pounds for class A. 



UNIFORM BASIS OF COMPARISON. 



Detailed information as to freight rates and distances are shown in 

 Table 2. The original quotations of freight rates when expressed in 

 other units were reduced to cents per 1 00 pounds in order to facilitate 

 comparison. The column in Table 2 giving the rates per ton per mile 

 has been computed in order to compare short-distance with long- 

 distance shipments on a uniform basis. While in practice distance 

 frequently has but little to do with cost over a single route, neverthe- 

 less it is logical to use length of haul as a factoi; in comparog the cost 

 of various services of transportation. While it may not cost the 

 shipper more to send his product 50 miles than to send it 10, the cost 

 to the carrier is greater for the 50 miles and consequently, from the 

 carrier's point of view, the service rendered is greater. Therefore, in 

 comparing one cost with another, and taking into account service 

 rendered, the ton-mile rate may be used to advantage. However, 

 care should be taken in comparing the ton-mile rate between two 

 points over one route with the corresponding rate between the same 

 points over a longer or shorter route. Here the actual service 

 rendered to the owner of the freight is not necessarily greater or less 

 over the longer route than the short one. 



GROUPS OF WATERWAYS. 



Water routes are divided in Table 2 into three classes or groups: 

 The Atlantic slope, the Mississippi Valley, includmg the Gulf slope, and 

 the Pacific slope. Under each group the quotations and routes are 

 arranged in order of distance, beginning with the shortest. Since 

 the data in Table 2 are not comprehensive enough for satisfactory 

 averages to be made from them, no such averages are shown here. 

 The data are, however, complete enough to illustrate costs of trans- 

 portation over long, medium, and short steamboat routes. 



