, 1867-05-17
HalIula Cnrre.pondence.
wAILuLA, nay u, ise7.

taken a. .synoptical view Of the surrounding eles
ments, came to the conclusion that seventeen
dollars and fifty cents for freight from Wallula
to Dalles was rather to steep and dropped it to
ten dollars. All right; 30 far-so good. Then,
on the other hand, Lewiston, although being
long way of, and hard road to travel, still it
seemed to be destined to be the only place left
boats above the Dalles any thing to do during
the coming summer, seVenty>6ve dollars per
ton, measurement, looked little too steep, now
that there was no -four being shipped up. A ton
of goods, measurement, would not average
1900 lbs, so they dropped the figure to sixty
dollars per ton. The Company would have liked
to lower their charges on freight, in the same
ratio, to Wallnla, but they foresaw that they
would only eudaoger their carrying trade to
Lewiston, for the merchants of that place would
then ship their goods to Wallula by boat, and
from thence it would go by teams, at two cents
per pound. That would not do. So, to clinch
the Lewiston trade for themselves, and keep of
"bull teams" they raise the freight to Wallula
two dollars and fifty cents per ton, not that they
were particularly down on Wallula or walla
Walla, but they claimed they were forced to do
so in self-defenee, and that the Walla wala
Valley ought to be satisfied with the looping
off of seven dollars and fifty cents on their down
freight, and the facilities they now have of
shipping their -four or glain to the Dalles or
Portland at the same price. So much for the
attorney for plaintif-uow comes the defendant,
'who, on being duly sworn, doth depose and
say" that the view taken By the o. S. N Co. of
the charge of $3.50 per ton, for carrying freight
from Wallula to Dalles, tine half a,day, was
undoubtedly too high-but, how long, defendant
would ask, did this scale of prices last2 Did il
continue over ten days7 think not. Then. /.
seems to have been setup, 10 be knocked down;
in other words, the 'job was set up for u.s." to
cover the thrust they intended to give US in
"their next"
The view they claim to have taken of Lewis
ton is well enough, as far as it goes, but it
takes only one step forward in the right direc>
tion, and, at the same time, takes t,oo and halt
back in an other Their charges now stand
$500 per ton, to Wallula, against S32. so last
year, and $4,000, to Lewiston, against SIS. 90
last year. Now, the idea of lowering the price
of carrying freight, $500 per ton, on distance
of three hundred and ninety miles (tne distance
from Portland to Lewiston, and raising it s.. SO
per ton, on the same route, on a distance OF
only two hundred and twenty-five miles (the
distance from Portland to Wallula,) is u little
more than we can "cumtu1." Snake river
"stands on end, as the saying u.s. it is difficult
task for steamboat to clin it. Passengers
and freight reach Wallula, including stoppage
Of Tho nall.s In the same time that IL tot-- =
steamer to 60 from Wallula to Lewiston. Now,
at Cello, all portages are passed, and freights
from Cello to Lewiston and Wallula start even
at Celilo-consequently it can be said, that the
reduction on Lewiston frcghts is from Cello,
(for both pay the same price from Portland to
Celilo.) Now, from Cello to Wallula, BY the
river channel, it is l25 miles from Wallula to
Lewiston it is l65 miles; reduction on freignts
from Wallula to Lewiston SIS per ton, steamer
making but one trip per week, another steamer
making three trips per week from Cello to Wal,
lula-freights raised $3.50 pes ton on forty
miles less travel, three trips per week, and a
mail contract, and lowered sis per ton, on 40
miles longer distance, only one trip per week.
and no mail contractl Can you see the point?
1t seems to me, it would puzzle the Oldest and
most eloquent man in the country to work such
trick through principle.
It does seem TO me, that reason and common
sense would have dictated to the COMPANY that
if the wants of a community demanded a de,
crease Of Sl5 per ton, on distance of l65 miles
and it was granted, that, to have meted out
equal justice to all, in the sans ratio, the Com
pany should have decreased their charges, on
the same route, on distance of only I25 miles.
at i5Rst $50 per ton, for they charge US So per
ton from Umatilla "a Wallula, distance only rs
milesl Some pool devils who, hv accident, had
goods destined for Western Moutan:, landed -
Umatilla when the o. S. N. Co.'s hammer fell.
are now packing the goods through Wallula. AT
the expense and trouble of ferrying their cargo.
and swimming their animals, across the month
OF Walla Walla river, for it is now very bi1b
Ihey could not afford to pay the five dollars per
ton extra, by steamer, but would have paid The
old price of two and a half. A large pack train
passed through here, on Sunday, from Umatilla.
en- route for Montana. But l see this is getting
too long, and must adjourn till my next when
viii give you the balance of " Defendaut'sn
'eS,intony; 81 CUMrUX.
P. S.-The o. s. N. Co. have put down the
price OF storage at this point to one dollar and
twenty five cents per ton. G.