, 1873-09-17
"THREE CENTS A BUSHEL."
yvhnt tho transportation Companies
TlalsliE OF Tho Now Tnrllf ON
Wheat.

whnt tho TRANSPORTATION Companies
Tl,ls,ir OF Iho Now Tlrllf on
Wheat.
Front the ST. Panl Press, Sept. 10.
Desiring to obtaiu the yiows Of the several
transportation companies on tho additional
Paul Noad, h reporter called at headquarters
yesterday, aud aftor making his GRAND known,
olioitcd tho information given herewith. Tho
impression in regard to the movement among
s sqsnes IL y 1 an to tho noy fssnpg wg aas ho
end provo docldedly unfortunate to those who
have inaug1ratel it, whilo there is no apparent
necessity or justification for the increase. Tho
geuoral verdict IL expressed with moro forco
than elegance in tue sentence: "Oh, 1t ID Il
piece Of damned robbery which juati1os evon tho
atrongebt rotalatory measure which Gun be
deyised BY tho Legislature Of next winter
Calling upon hr. Alexander. General Freight
Agent Of tho Northern Pacific Road, tho follow
ing oonveraltion occurred:
Koporter-alr. Alexander. have you received
aty proposition from MY source In regard to an
increase of cents per bushol OIL wheat shipped
oyor your road Z
Mr.. Ave have.
Reporter-Well, what was tic conclusion ?
Mr.. A.-Thero will not DO u rise on our limos,
IS tho propositions for tho incroaso have boon
promptly rejected. The rates on wheat will re-
1nnln tho same on wheat from st. Paul, Mime
apolis, mud Saltwater, but changes NAV possibly
occur on wheat shipped from other points on the
river.
Ina subsequent conversation 1t WAS ascor-
taInod that tho Chicago & Northwestern Com
pany had alHo joined in tho movement for IN in-
crease eovoral dayH, ago. but for BONO reason tho
enforcement Of tho Increased thrill has boon
postponed until Monday nc1t., when it goes into
operation on all tho lines undor tho control Of
tho Chicago i Northwestern Company.
Tho General Freight Agent of the West Wia-
conBin Rnad, f. D. clark, ESQ.,, is nbBent at Chi
cago endeavoring to obtain further information
rrl k~4
to lnluiries the gontlomon In charge OF tho
freight department stated that inBtructions Ind
not boen received to inforce collections ut tho
rise on wheat ahipmcnts, and tho impression
additional on wheat was injudcious n.sd uuwiso
whilo tho public temper waa in its prosont con-
dition. Tlore will be no incroaBe on tho ,Ycst
Wisconsin, Line unless the Company is absolute
ly forced into 1t by future complications, or tho
movements Of older, moro powerful and less
scrnpulous organizations.
Tho steamboat companies are reported op-
poAed to any increase at the prosont time. but as
the railtoad corporations, they can do little sso
than watch the several Btcpn in the war Which
will certainly be stimulated and made moro Wig
ozous aud unrelenting by the increase which tho
people regard aB an unnitigntod outrage, and
| which thoy will ondcayor to checlmato BY legis-
| 1ntion, Or any means demonstrated to DO avail
able and efficient.
Tho reporter, not being satisfied with tho ro-
| sultt Of hiR inquiries thus far, becauee Of tho
entiro absence Of any explanation Tor the 3-cont
increase, concluded to call upon S. s. Morrill,,
ESQ.,. tho well-kuowu General Manager Of the
Milwaukee i st. Paul TOAD, who happened to 10
guost at the Metropolitan. After d courtoous
reception, tho spirit and intent of the call wero
! explained in gubstIncoaH follows:
Neporter-Mr. Merrill, I havo boon instructed
to ask you to explain the motives Of your Conn
pany in imposing this Increased ratio Of cents
per buBl!el Oh wheat.
Mr. Merrill (smilng)-Wcll, thoy probably
wanted to mako moro money
| Rcportor-Ihat IL evidently q reasonable e1-
cuao, but had hoped for something moro de-
! finite.
Mr.. Baldwin, yico-Presideut Of the West Win
| cousin Road, then came up. and utter cordial
| greeting sxtenled to Mr. Merrill, the gontlemon
immediately plunged into tho 3-cont topic, and
in tho conrso Of tho brief conversation which
| enBuod. Mr.. Morrill, remarked ",Your people
| don't 60 into it aH understood ahey Woll1."
Mr. Baldwin replied without hesitation: i've
hayo been as anxious to raise the rates as You
were, but tho Duluth men would not 90 in.
| Tile undoubtedly referred to tho officers Of t4o
| Northern Pacific Roal]
It will bo observed that hIr. Baldwin docs not
entertain tho Same Wow Of the rise as was OK
pectod by the local oflcors. mr. Merrill excused
hiu1Holf, and directed bis attention to his first
caller. Proceeding to tho gentlenan's sitting
room at his Invitation, Mr. Merrill entered INTO
more satisfactory explanation Of tho riso,
which is substantially givon below:
|
viowed, as never went through ono Of them in
my life. eau talk on railroad business to rail
road mon, but when it comes to talKug in d
newspaper, that III worry different 1attor, and /
am frank TO say it il not pleasant thing to do.
but at you haso asked for a tair explanation, i
will give 1t to you, as far as tue Milwaukee t. S..
Paul Company is CONCERNED. The agreement was
originally made in regard to this rise between
the milwaukee, 4 st. Paul, the Chicago & North
western, tho Wiuona & st, peter, mud the Wont
Wisconsin, as tho latter Was represented ut tho
consultation at which the Increased rate WAS de-
cided on.
"Tho milwaukee, & ST, Paul Company, on ac-
count Of The limited receipts of their road, did
not pay tho semi i-aunual diyidends in August,
and last year 1t did not earn money enough ID
pay par oent interoBt on tho cost OF couatruc-
ton. TAore is not road in Iowa north OF the
that mentioned. and tic Milraateo t 80 1 St. St. PAUL PAUL
Company concluded that this ia not fair return
on tleir Investment. The movement may bu re.
gardod as impolto by somo, but we feel justified
IN urging tho inoIoaso ere; nndes t all tlo cl1cqm'
bean raised without suiolot cause, with the facts
now stated. You will perceive that our Compan,
cannot be justly charged with the entiro res pom.
Bibility for tho inoreaee as 1t could not alont
took several companies to ralae tlon., but Que
can cut them II 30 disposed. The Alilwaukce d
1T. Paul will adhore to them probably, and thu
officers will share the responsibility OF tho rise
to tho Directors before It is finally adopted Ii
four roads went into tho arrangement the,
should stick to it like mon and not tty tho track
Our road is not unmindful Of public opinion
retain tho good will OF Tie people doing business
on tue line, but VIC arc satisfied that tho latt
change will be regarded as Justified when tht
reasonB therefor are fully understood
From fhs same paper, editorial.
TIE THEE GENT ExT0HTI0N.