New-York tribune., 1874-11-20
THE GRAIN TRADE DIVERTED
THE RAILWAY MANAGERS ATTRIBUTE 1T
TO THE MERCHANTS

| CONCESSIONS oFFERED by THE RAILWAYS MOI
ACCEPTED BY THE MERCHANTs-MoRR DOM
FREE OF CHARGE By NEw-YORK THAN AN,
OTHER RAILROADS
| The following letter. prepared by George r
Blanchard. Second vce-President Of the Erie Railway
emb0dying the views OF officers OF the trunk lines OF
questions ut issue between the associated lines and the
merchants In the NewYork grain trade, has been sem
to the Preside Of the Produce Exchange The letter
had been previously submitted to other prominent rail
road and the Views expressed In It had met with
4 approval from them S
10 TIE Hon. FRANKLIN EDsoN President N. Y. Produce
Exchange.
SIR: The arguments presented by the three trunk
railway companies to the two able Committees Of the
NewYork Produce Exchange, specially appointed to
consider the important subject OF inspecting grading
and delivering rail grain. taken IN connection with the
general interest, decided every member OF both Com
mittees with but exception) to recommend the
agreed plan OF July 16 1874 to your Exchange for It's
adoption Notwithstanding this exceptional unanimity
OF those OF members who gave the question the
closest scrutiny and consideration. your Exchange, in
general meeting Of the eth ns adopted the minority
report Of the single person in both Committees who dis
sented from their otherwise unanimous conclusion.
therefore request the favor OF responding and
dissenting from it, for the following reasons: !. 1t
presents only such portions Of the railway view as 1t
wishes to quote for attack adverse criticism, and s
therefore, unjust to your carriers 1t Omts the es-
senal elements in such paper OF an impartial pro-
senatOn OF facts just comparsoa OF usages here and
elsewhere aud equitable mutual CONCESSIONS to accom-
psh great and much needed object 8. 1t lacks the
impersonal and judicial character such paper should
possess by dealing In sweeping unjust and unsupported
italicized illusions to "opulence," "rngs," ETC.,
and characterizes respectful dissent as "autO-
cratic" usurpation" arbitrary power" &c. T. 1t
presents and POUNDS conclusions upon immaterial and
irrelevant matter. which bcOg rather than clear tho
a q of
scheme in savings to the roads; the divisions OF rates
with connecting nes the cost OF ghterage to the rail-
ways and the discussion OF policies and power with
Western companies, whom 1t cOunses as to our railway
questions. g. 1t has been distributed with partisan
comment by its author aud has been urged through the
commercial press which, believe unfortunately for
ALL accepted action the result of wise considera
ton for the best Of the grain trade of this city,
Believing for these that the issue has been
stated uDiusy to the railways, respectfully submit
the considerations which decided their conclusions and
received the sanction of both your Committees, order
that members who did not hear the railway view.
and the grain forwarders of West may know it moro
fully and have the evidence and OF both par
ties, upon which TO decide mpartiay. whether the fall
to accomplish much needed reforms IN handling rail
grain at New-York most justly attributable to the
trunk lines the New York Produce Exchange refer
first TO the question Of grading.
RAILWAY DUTIES HERE AND ELSEWHERE.
duties of the railways New-York under the plan
first agreed upon, and stated above with the
OF the to the grain trade Of rival cities.
The New-York lines first propose and agree under the
grading system. and without charge over their custom
ary rates. unload all grain from lighter II 10 de-
liveries in this port marine risks ten days;
guarantee quantities unloaded from cars ana allow four
Our rival cities and carriers adhere to the following
rules A, Baltimore Philadephis, aud Boston, If gram
not unloaded from the by at the cost OF the
cOnsgnees within As hours after arrival 1t Is arbitrarily
to elevators. and there unloaded for account OF
whom 1t concern. Dcnrrine fixed charges therefor
varying from and oneOurth cents TO one and three
fourth cents per bushel-aways added to and neyerln
cuded in the rates Of freght-if in elevators but one
day, although IT may remain more AT nyal cries !he
railways their elevators become responsible as ware
hOusemen for Quantities only when gram Is nnoaded
from the We propose TO do the same IN New.fork
At none OF these cities Is the cost otn; OF un
by the rates OF transportation or pad hy the railways
directly indirectly as the Produce Exchange now de-
%rsn Insured 6y H tie carriers for ten lays as here.
in boats or in their elevators. OF them is IL
oatod, either free or otherwise for any engn OF me,
direct as is conceded by the railways at TINS city. At
of tbem weights guaranteed after leaving tner
whom they cannot influence control ana at none OF
them is much time allowed Tor Tree deliveries as Is
To follow tho precedents, therefore, of Baltimore at
Locust Point, Phad lpa at Greenwich Point or WASH
ngtonst and Boston at East Boston. the railways tei
shore of Their respective terminal stations on the
Hudson RIVER and require consgnees there TO receive
nrnse The essence of these comparisons this:
,ities must pay delivery charges added gbts,
aud onefourh to one and cents per
Dnsne the difference being oaIgo to the New-York
railways which constitutes an income 10 carriers 10 other
cities Tue that we should provide elevators,
FIRST that provide storage and delivering boats as
substitutes; and second. il the Produce Exchange
refuses to adopt improved systems, which will attract
rade to the city, without increasing It's expenses now
much more may they be expected to resist elevators,
which must charge still more rates or transport
on as other cities to justify their erection We
invite cicism OF the assertion that at no city
world do rail carriers do much at so great an
IS s Of c as Se ax
ing at Nsw-York for the grain trade Of this city.
WHY RAILROADS REFUSE TO PAY FOR LIGHTERING |
GRAIN.
Notwithstanding these and comparisons of facl
ties and expense the Produce Exchange now demands
that we pay in addition thereto the costs OF elevatng
and delivering grain from our lighters through ele- |
yators designated by the buyer shipper by including
the costs therefor in the rates Of transportation. or
otherwise. This the railway companies have de-
cned for reasons as follows; / The grain pays |
for delivering through elevators at all otner Eisern
cities. specific charges, not included In rates OF |
wa VS. for the delivery OF grain already larger in the
aggregate than OF -four pork or cotton and u Will be
livery facilities at NewYork g. The railway companies
make transfer delivery from cars to boats on the
Hudson River, and weigh the grain at the same time.
We claim 1t is the duty Of cOnsigDee particularly II the
railways guarantee weights to pay the cost Of ascer-
tainng and proving at points of delivery IL those
weights are correct not. Because while requir-
ing the railways to pay the cost OF eleyattng
delivery, the consgnee retains the selection Of the
ge elevator buyer the elevator to weigh
his own grain, In which they are generally interested.
require the railways to make use OF such as they
may designate, whether acceptable or economical TO the
not Because the railways have not borne
the charge been asked TO do either by NewYork
Western orwardeIs fol six years and
not therefore Innovation Because there Is more
reason including proper charges against property In
the rates Of transportation TO simplify sales accounts
than TO cover numerous cbage OF commission mer
chants In the same way merely TO save items or expense
4 Because TO include the charge increases rates
against competing cities 10 an expense which does
not belong 10 u.s. that s not the result the