The New York herald., 1873-09-08

holds her position, and to stir up action for facn
tating ana cneapening our freight transit 1t Is
not W be In any sort political, and WILL probably.
be addressed by gentlemen holding adverse peIiti-
cal views and advocating various plans. II Is in
tended to bring out lacts In the possession Of few
thoughtful men and press them upon the attention
show the necessity and the feasibility of vastly inn.
rowing our commercial facilities so as to secure
for the metropolis the permanent endowment or
the trade which has been the foundation of her
greatness. A thousand leading mercantile firms
In the several branches OF trade are expected to
subscribe TO the call for the meeting and arrange
ments are Ill progress to secure effective speakers
Views or . Large Grain shipper.
The reporter called at No. Al Exchange place, on
Mr.. David Bingham named as one Of the largest
purchasers OF grain for shipment to Europe. He
found a slightly built pleasant-looking English
man, apparently on the sunny side OF forty, with
high. broad forehead, fringed BY rather scanty
dark hair, and having pair OF bright blue eyes,
which look as though they could take in at one
glance the grain fields and markets Of two con-
tinents AS the press man sat oy his desk his
subordInates were, from time to time, bringing
him messages, whose answers suggested thoughts
ranging from San Francisco, Cal, and Duluth. on
Lake Superior, to odessa, on the Black Sea, In
Southeastern Russia, near the confines OF Asia. He
seemed as familiar with the various grains, their
methods and places Of production, their qualities
and values IN Europe and America, and the routes
and means by which they reach the several market
centres as o Third avenue car conductor is with
the streets he crosses between the City Hall and
Harlem bridge. with q smile and Q courtesy which
marks him as one who makes friends at once with
all he meets he readily acceded to the request to
give the public his notions OF the conditions and
needs OF transportation as Affecting the commerce
Of New York and the agriculture Of our Northern
Central States. Being asked If there was present
deficiency OF vessels to take European freights he
replied in the negative few days ago there was
large quantity Of grain waiting shipment which
sent freights up. In consequence ships have
twOpence to two and iarthing per bushel, with
abundance OF room Offering.
REPORTER-WOud II have any effect In reducing
prices OF ocean freights n our citizens were
allowed to purchase and Amerlcanize ships built in
MIR. BNdHAx-None that l can see. 1t would
merely cnange the nag, but make no difference in
rates, which would still, as now, be controlled by
the relative abundance or scarcity OF vessels and
freiRhts and the demand for the grain abroad.
REPORTER what ports are your shipments
Mr.. BNGHAM-To Liverpool, to France Holland
Belgium and Germany-all the western cOas. OF
Europe. The grain nom the Russian Baltic ports.
lsh islands and Western Europe. Is now stopped in
the Mediterranean TO make up for the short crop of
France, leaving TO America to I'LL the mere north
ern and western demand.
WHAT DOMINATES THE MARKET.
REPORTER-DOeS Cne price Oh gram IN tne foreign
market control its value here
Mr. MISUNDERSTANDING; though not more than
One-third OF the American wheat crop is shipped
abroad, and far less proportion OF our corn; yet
the foreign value OF that surplus makes the price
IN New York, in Chicago and at the farmers door.
Its value to him Is what 1t will bring in Liverpool
after deductlng all charges and expenses OF trans
portation. Every cent added to the cost OF trans
portatiOn decreases by much the return the
farmer gets for his labor.
PRESENT COST OF TRANSPORTATION.
REPoRTERLCan you give me the present cost OF
bringing grain from the West heref
Mr.. BINGHAM-Of course the cost before reach
ing Chicago or Milwaukee varies according to the
distance; From these ports the rates ; are about about
to Buffalo, Is cents; charges at Chicago, 81;
charges at Butialo ~ and canal n freight, l2,sw
cent less The present value Of wheat IN
Chicago Is 81 10, and corn 40 cents, so it
at Chicago to send 1t here and about one-hfth OF
the value OF wheat by ran we pay some three
cents Per bushs more: II moves owes more quickly:
are likely TO be divided. We never get satisiac
tory delivery OF grain freight by railroad We can
on the contrary we are apprsed Of Its starting at
| Bufralo, we hear from 1t again at Montezuma,
| the hour when 1t will reach here. This moment a
| boat load OF 5000 bushels Is reported to me as
Ing aiensside the steamer for LIVERPOOL. Its cargo
| would load tram OF twenty railroad cars. Per.
haps hall or third Of them would come right
through, while to surmount some heavy grade the
train would be broken up and the cars would come
along by driblets giving as any amount OF annoy
ance.
VALUE OF THE CANAL
Besides the usefulness OF the canal as the most
economical means OF freight transit from the lakes
hither, 1t also acts as q regulator OF the transit
price, While 1t is open the railroads, to get freight
| must keep down their rates. During tnat time the
bulk OF the grain Is brought forward. AS soon as
the canal closes the roads put up freight prices
sometimes to nearly double the canal rates. These
cheap, heavy and bulky commodities as grain can
stand; SO 1t accumuates at the lake ports during
the winter while the shippers rss draw from the
Through the frozen months the railroads bring
mostly other kinds Of freight, and the gram waits
for the opening OF lake and canal navigation. SO,
in eject, though the canal freezes up in winter, it
practically brings most Of the grain.
WHERE THE FARMERS ARE wRONGED.
Mr. BINGHAM Believed the grievance the Western
producers mostly complain OF is in the work Of the
local roads, by which their cereal and other market
able products are carried TO Chicago, Milwaukee,
Toledo or other interior trade centres Over these
routes there is no canal rivalry to keep the price Of
late their charges by their cupidity and the neces-
stiles of the producers. II 1t were not Or the
petition for freghts afforded by the Erie Canal the
| New York State roads could charge all the year
| round the heavy rates they now do In winter.
LOWER FREIGHTs TO OTHER PORTS.
cheaper freights than New York to the farmers
who 1t seems are the people that bear the burden9
Mr. BINoMAanNew HAN. Orleans might but ., to carry y
the Gulf and subject it to the delays incident to
that voyage would be sure to spoil It, Only New
Orleans man would ever think OF running such q
risk. So the Mississippi does not enter into the
calculation as grain shipping route. Phllade
phia and Baltimore make spasmodic efforts to Sc
cure this trade but they are out OF the way places
and do not seem at all likely to meet with any real
and permanent success in the attempt. 10 Boston
freights are five cents bushcl more than to New
York; but on grain for export they give a rebate
of three cents. That leaves It two cents more.
TO Offset this IL is always easy there to get
freight at considerable margin of New York
rates.
REroRrER-why is the rebate allowede
MIR. BNGHAM--Boston merchants own the Massa-
chusetts Railroad line, and they Offer this induce
ment to draw the trade away from New York.
REPORTER-HOW can ocean freight be had cheaper