The New York herald., 1874-11-20
THE GRAIN uGaTERACE QUESTION.
The Body Of the Trunk Lines
Arguments.
ERIE VS.. THE PRODUCE EXCHANGE

was appointed in pursuance OF Q resolution OF
September %. "to confer with the representative
OF the three trunk lines upon the subject OF lighter
ing small lots OF grain," reported as follows:
That railway companies declining to rescind their
action IN submitting small lois OF grain-snipments
OF less tnan i've cars-to expense or liRhterage
adopt the grading system as originally presented
Yielding for the present tunder protes to the tax
alton OF three-quarters OF a cent elevation.
This was signed by Messrs. Francis S. Gibbs. J.
Il. HerrcK, Lewis Roberts and C. X. Hickox, while
the minority report was read BY Mr. Carlos cobb.
which embodied the following views:-
That Philadelphia Is charged Sc. per 100 pounds
less than to New York. equal TO Sc. bushel on
wheat and 2 s.loc. on corn but So per car gives
ave days SonngS storage nssnres g delivers ship and
wheat would be about So rs and So p on corn per
car that Baltimore was allow ed oc 100 pounds,
which equals sc. opshel on wheat and s.loc on
corn, but gives ten days storage. puts ABOARD
expense to grain OF but is.c bush onsheI L. ii il is
claimed BY our roads that such differences in
are
roads claim she lake and river facilities enjoyed
by the New York roads equals the dinerence in
mileage; but, II not, your committee does not be-
lieve New York roads will hold their business
through imposing upon property terminal ex.
transportation without corresponding reduction
OF rates OF transportation.
Mr.; Villas. on the part Of the Erie Railway. 70.
The Pennsylvanla Central contracts With what Is
s 70 s
directors aud other persons useful to the road.
The rates paid oy sucn contract Mr.. Gossler, who
represented the road, "couid not tell exactly"
This company relets its grain lighterage, and
tional Freight and Lignterage Company, al rates
others refused to give. AT least one person IN
For For some reason which may not % July appear
on the surface, certain lighterage interests
wsa these roads nsG very
to give, but manifesty such as lead to great opu.
ience when long enjoyed. the roads pay, as up.
simply use Of a boat with one man trimming the
the road, and allowed 70 collecI Ac: lor as.
ws on wseSs ns 9t
costly OF grains) Is daily performed from store,
Do sVag
not the offensive charge for unloading their
fhat no allowance from tariff would be made in
consideration OF assuming lighterage on the part
Nor that even canal terms Of delivery will be
accepted II offered as compromise.
Nothing but absolute, unconditional surrender
Is rendered, the law and customs OF common car
riers the word over abrogated, to their profit
Enforced individual compliance with usurpatlon
for SIX years past TO be now followed by the as
sumption of the yoke oy the public act OF this Pro-
duce Exchange.
The minority OF your committee beg to recon-.
mend to the body OF this Produce Exchange that
1t reafflrm Its acts taken at meeting held July
80 1874 and leave the responsibility o. the refusal
OF the date above named, upon the trunk lines Of
railroads terminating at this place; =, 80 oo,n
To this minority report OF the Produce Ex.
change the
REPLY OF G. b BLANCHARD
the Second Vice President OF the Erie Railroad,
was yesterday submitted. addressed to Mr..
Franklin B. Edison, the President OF the Produce
Exchange. In substance it is as follows:-
SIR request the avor Of responding to and
mittee loT the following reasonsw eo'' y ''0 '''
Ft1st-It presents only such portions Of the rail.
way view asis wishes to quote or attack or ad-
riers.
paper 0f an impartial presentation OF lacts.
The railroad companies Justly complain tn at for
years many consignees have made warehouses or
were also harassed in deliveries with the delays,
accidents and errors, Ter which We were In no
cosnecaS aes op1spa es 81
deliveries all over the haroor. which tue con.
slgnees also insisted upon; incurrlng large and
unnecessary expenses to the railroad companies,
ana operating to embarrass the general through
traffic IN many ways. These causes, coupled
inspections and grading at New York
and the want Of elevator facilities at the ran ter
mlUl, uuu NOT tNe rates Or UufOOr charges, d.
verted al.rall grain IN large quantities TO rival
seaports whose improved usages are well known.
The plans ultimately agreed on oy the Exchange
cOmmi.tees and tue rallroad officers embodied the
following cOncessions:-
l. The appointment OF inspectors, to be paid by
q charge on the grain as at other cities, in lieu or
former sales by samples at the Exchange
2. Covering the marine risks upon grain for ten
days ne% Ss
River termlni OF the roads TO delivery. involving
superintendent at each delivery, q new and I'm
Sk q r,in
much more than cOunterbalance the improved
speed aud economies or deliveries at their termlni.
4. Allowing TOUR days free storage In boats lor
sales and deliveries, instead OF three days here
t0ore.
s. Allowing three days Tor free deliveries along
side sEip or warehouse, instead OF two formerly.
q. Making the storage rate one-eighth OF one
cent per bushel pei. day after lour days, which
will vary from 81 10 So per boat per day, depend
ing upon the quantity Of grain such BOAT con-
tains, instead oI the previous Uniform charges
OF $40 and So per boat per day, demurrage.
Z. The agreed rules to apply 10 all lots, large or
We, therefore, invite criticism OF the assertion
that ar no city OIL the world do rail carriers do so
much, at SO great an expense In receiving, hand.
ling and delivering any class. OF reghts Tree OF
York for the grain trade Of this CITY. Notwlth.
standing these iacts and comparisons OF facilities
and expense, the Produce Exchange now demands
that we pay IN addition thereto the costs OF ele-
waiting and delivering grain from our lighters
through elevators designated BY the buyer or
rates of transportation, or otherwise. This the
railway companies nave declined Tor good reasons,
which have been explained to the Exchange.
Referring more particularly to the recent NIL
nority report II may be SAID :-rne railways term-
mating at New York cannot be asked to deliver
less than dve carloads and incur Increased ex.
penses because lar West connecting lines cannot
supply lve cars at time IN Uusy seasons, which
quantity the delivering company stands ready to
receive. forward and denver, or become RESPONSE
be Tor Its failures to do either or ALL We desire
to encourage small as well as large lots, when they
do not burden us with excessive and unnecessary
expense and delays, ana therefore stand ready TO
adopt plan wnlch relieves us and places all sized
lots upon like improved footing OF receipt deliy-
cry and expense. That plan having oeen de-
ieated Oy the action OF your Exchange, how can the
railways be held accountable for the diversion OF
such trade elsewhere? l note the illusions to
lesser rates TO rival cites and far the charges
that export bounties are paid at Boston and phlla-
deIpnia, sympathize entirely with the comparison
but 1t has always been alleged that those conces-
sions were demanded because oil free lghterage
deliveries at New York.
In conclusion, we thus brief the issue All
rival cities nave perfected systems of grades and