New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-18
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE FARMERS WAR.
CLAIMS OF RIVAL sEA-PORTs.

DISCUSSION OF THE NEwYoRK MERCHANTS COM
PLNNTs-FAcurTIEs OFFERED By BALTIMORE
AND PHILADELPHIA FOR SPEEDY TRANsfEks-
DELAYS IN THE NETWORK cUsToM-HOUsE DRIv-
ING TRADE TO OTHER PORTS.
fv,ou THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRiBUsEi
SPRINGFIELD. ILL.,, Aug. 5.-The complaints OK
leading New-York merchants and manufacturers
that unfair determinations have been made by tho
railroad companies in their rates OF through neign'
against New-York and in favor OF Boston, Phiia-
depbia and Baltimore, have been telegraphed to the
Western press from The TRIBUNEs reports ano
have. durine the past two days, been the topic OF
considerable interesting discussion among prominent
railroad men and shippers of Springfield 1t is not
denied that the rates of freight between the large
shipping points of the West and Baltimore and Phii
adelphia have been at times much more favorable
than between the same points and New-fork, bnt
the Western railroad men say that the discrlmina-
ton has been made by the managers OF the ROADS
composing the Eastern links OF the through lines,
and not by the Western railroad companies.
Through rates, they say, are now made mp IN New
York. Boston, Philadelphia. and Baltimore by tho
managers of the New-York Central, Pennsylvania,
Erie and Baltimore aud Ohio Roads. These man
ayers add to the amount of freight that is taken by
the connecting roads West whatever they think
they ought to have, and advertise the sum as the
through rate.
ADVANTAGES OF PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE AS
SHIPPING PORTS.
Now if the Baltimore and Ohio Pennsylvania
Railroads find it for any reason more profitable to
take the Western produce, which composes the bulk
of eastern bound freight. to Baltimore Phadel-
pnia than to carry it through NewYork of course
the managers of those roads will give to those cities
more favorable rates-this is the argument of rail.
road men and shippers. Each of these railroad
companies is interested in line of ocean steamers
running to Liverpool, and each has facilities for
transferring grain from the cars to these steamers
which no railroad running to New-York possesses.
The result is that there have been times within the
past year when the Western shipper could get from
five to eight cents bushel more for corn sent to
Baltimore than for that sent to New-York. The dis
elimination is of course greater in the Winter than
in the Summer. While navigation upon the lakes
and the Erie Canal is open the water routes govern
the through rates. and grain that reaches New-York
in canal-boats can be handled there as well
as at either of the other cities named
but in the Winter, when the grain sent TO New
York all arrives in the cars there is not an elevator
in New-York into which it can be unloaded and
from which it can be put directly board of YES
sels If the same cars go to Baltimore Philadel
phia, OF Boston, they can be at once unloaded and
the transfer of the grain shpboard either for ex
port for the coast trade, costs comparatively little
Western railroad managers and grain shippers con.
clude, therefore, that New-York is bound 10 lose
much of the Western trade unless she provides her
self with the same facilities for accommodating II
that other ports have. Westward freghts OF course
depend largely on those bound eastward The
more Western produce goes to an Eastern city. the
more empty ears there will be there seeking return
freights and the lower the rates will be put.
THE NETWORK CUsToM-HoUsE A BARRIER TO QUICK
TRANSFERS.
said that the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and
Ohio Companies are each interested in an ocean
steamship line, and each is therefore DESTROYS Of
making as much trade for it possible. The steam
ships make business for the railroads and rice resa
When | was in Chicago several large importing
merch ants told me that they had many of their
goods landed in Baltimore and shipped West in
bond. They said that the expense was no greater,
they had less trouble at the CustOm-house, and
received their goods much more promptly. They
didn't seem to have much confidence in the New
York Custom house management. and added that
even when there were no unnecessary delays, the
crowd of business there and the delays in transfer
made it impossible for them 10 receive their goods
"a early as if they were landed in Baltimore checked
by the United States officer directly from the vessel
TO the cars the Government seal placed upon them.
and started West at once. Finally. last Winter,
when so much produce was moving East that cars
for New-York could not be obtained IN Central
Illinois. the Baltimore and Ohio Road offered cars
for Baltimore at favorable rates. and in this way got
much trade that would naturally have gone to New
York.
DETERMINATIONS ~ FAVOR OF BOSTON DENIED.
In regard to determinations in favor OF Boston,
shippers here deny that any generally exist There
was time. they say, when some of the New-En-
gland roads, for the sake Of getting business cut
under those leading into New-York, but it did not
last long, and freights to Boston are generally q
little higher than to New-York. At the same time,
Boston has elevator facilities for handling grain
that arrives by rail- and this fact increases the
amount that is shipped there. Many of the produce
shippers of this vicinity are sending loaded cars
directly through to the New-England towns,
where the produce is consumed. entirely
avoiding the middlemen in New-York and
Boston. They are thus enabled to realize
a better profit and pay the farmers more
for their produce The great problem of transporta
ton is TO get the produce of the West into the hands
of the actual consumer in the cheapest way possible.
and the Western people say that unless New-York
makes her way the cheapest she is bound to lose the
trade Nex-York has always had an advantage in
being the commercial metropolis Of the country,
but she need not be surprised to lose some of her
trade, if she either permits artificial barriers to
exist such as are seen in the administration of her
Custom-house negects to provide the same facil'
tiles which other Eastern cities possess
ADVICE TO THE CHANGERS.
RAILROAD DIRECTORS NOT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED FOR EXISTING
EVILS AND THEIR FUTuITY-coMPETITIoN THG