The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-03-31
So11fhern Pacific Railroad.

Under this head we find communication published
in the National Index Radical paper Published at
Tyler, Texas that animadrerts pretty severely upon
commission merchants for not conforming to the
rules laid down by the Southern Pacific railroad, and
the CO. sepuent fcud between the parties. The writer
is evidently an officer of the road, but why he should
send his communication way out 10 Tyler for pubica,
ton We cannot see, unless it was for the purpose Of
keeping our merchants from seeing it. We pablRA
the communication That our merchants may see how
they are talked about behind their backs:
It will be seen from recent number OF the South
Western that some dozen firms of the Shreveport
merchan willing to conform 10 the regulations
of this road 1t is the custom all over the United
States for railroads to require passengers to prepay the
passage money and for shippers to pay ut the othcg
end Of tie line Jefore the goods removed from the
depot 1t in accordance with this universal rule
that the officers Of this road directed their agents at
Shreveport collect the freight and charges before
the goods were removed from the depot. They had
the undoubted right direct that no goods should be
shipped over the road any one or to none of the
merchants of Shreveport, unless the freight was pre-
paid The order actually issued done for various
reasons For the of railroad it is necessary
that all its business, much possible, should be
conducted on cash principles. It was found out by
experience that nearly all the time OF one good clerk
was consumed in collecting the outsta ding bills for
freight and even then many coald not be collected
without considerable delay and some loss. IN this
way the credit system gradually growing up
while all these bills could quite as readily have been
collected in day ut the depot before the goods were
removed and without any trouble, losses or disputes
It was also found be best in of complaints Of
losses damages to parcels to settle the matter betoTs
the goods removed. 1t is well known fact to
every body that the railroad cannot lose bale of cot
ton between this and Shreveport without discovering
and reclaiming it the same day and also that balo
RI. ntton h,li Inv tbn rnal tIn
little handling it receives in its transportation to that
place. Notwithstanding all this, the road has been
called upon pay for four bales of cotton claimed
have been lost by it in the last month or two, and
heavy bills have also been presented for numerous
supposed repairs 10 heads snd broken bands by
the road
AS to the latter item the profits great, and to
merchant strongly fortified in honest principles, the
temptations are great to see all his cotton in a most
understandable condition for the New Orleans market
These, with the high charges for storage, forwarding,
receiving and commissions, among the merchants 1T
Shreyo port also Of complaint among the
planters and which also diverts cotton from this road
j, tferson aud other points. To that eztent this
road is loser we'll the platter and the question IL
whether the road will not furnish remedy iii doing
its forwarding storage, &c. All railroads have
rs much right merchants conduct their business
i'll their way, and those "ho do not like them need
not deal with then. Railroads of great benefit and
convenience ali classes Of the community farmers
MefClaiitS &c, alu SNoutu be ShFtal!itllu
all their reasonable measures And while they build
up and make pepuous the country through which they
pass they are built with the money and eln os tho
profit OF the stakeholder
The Shreveport merchants nre not i'll a condition 10.
dictate dispute any line OF policy to the goa They
have very little stock in it, not exceeding perhaps age
thousand dollars, aid the road id the transportation OF
freight is more necessary 10 them than they TO it.
In the depot shall be taken from Shreveport Az.
other town will spring up that will deprive of its III
habltans, and the property owners receiving large
rents will look i'll vain for tenants to their empty ene
ments As to the removal Of the depot from its pres,
ent location it is work Of necessity at nc distant day..
The street is much too narrow and contracted to do
the present business of the road In the winter season
after rains, this and the other streets are almost mpaS
sable for the mud During this year. for days tho
streets were in such condition that goods could be
hauled to or from the depot and the trains forced
70 go ana return nearly empty when in fact there.
plenty for the road to do both here and at Shreve
port
At no distant day the business Of this road will be
doubled tripled and q'ladrnpl+l and a large depot
with many acres Of land, will be required Without
doubt, there far seeing land owners in the vicinity
Of Shreveport, who Will donate to the road as much
ground as it will want and aso make good thing for
themselves.
The object of the of this road is to push il
westward rapidly possible in such way as will do
it most ecctually though it should create another
set OF merchants OF build another city larger than
Shreveport.