, 1874-03-26
CUTTING FRErGHT RATES.


tho General Ticket Agents Of onr ronas, WHO,
by varous devices. arc trying to got ahead Of
thoir riyalH, tho General Ticket Agents of COM
pot,ng lines, and how country Ticket Agenta
grow rich by receiving high commissions fur tho
salo of t,ekots and how scaping ls countenancea
md upheld. No commissions aro paid by tho
dcueral Freight Agents, neither do thore exist
my freight scalping o1lces and to an outside
observer, It would aocm uB II everything was
lovely III tho froight departments OF tho yarious
roads, and tho several General Freight Agents
were full OF brothorly lovo and good faith to-
wards oach other, ind TINT no dark clouds
eyor obscurcd their social or Official intercourse.
But ono who docs not tako observations on tho
surface, but makes deep and tiorough hrcaearches,
will Aoon become convinced Tint 1nattors arc as
bad in tho General Freight aB they arc in the
aeneral Ticket Departments.
1ioY IT IS DONE.
The General Freight Agents Of the various
roadH meet together avery few weeks or month";
and arrange schedules. or frclght-tarias, for all
tho lines, which rates hnve to be strictly adhered
to on the penalty OF prescription, and appar-
emily they are faithfully kept; but 1t Is we'll
eral Floight Agent and asks for the rates
Of certain class Of goods to certain place, he
is minded printed turin containing the general
current ratoH " But, says the: shipper, nm
ping large cargoos, aud should be allowed re-
bate" OF course the shipper receives tho rebate
he asks, hut tho contract ia filled up with tho
full amount and none but the ooutracting par
ties would over know that rebate had boon
granted. ...-...
SPECIAL 1NaTAEoE.
A certain large slook-droyer, q few days ago,
went to tho General Freight Agent of Que OF our
leading roads and asked for rebate. The
Freight Agent in question, who Is one Of tile
be6t known and most reliable in the business. re-
fused to grant n rebate from tho regular
rates, az it would violate tho agreement
with the other agents. The shipper assured
eot 5 from rom ths hs eeasanf seaa F. rsS % &sen5o
line and, although he had shipped with this road
for years, economy compelled him to give his
trade to tho other. THIS announcement Stag
gerel the honest General Freight Agent, and ho
in writing TINT tho other road wns willing to
grant such rebate lie would do tho same. In
less than M hours time the gentlomata was back
with written statement that ho could ship Mt Il
then the honest General Freight Agent granted
tile same rebate.
RUNNERS
But not in this way alone TO they got around
their agreements, but many of Them n1so employ
acalpers, Or az they ntylo them, travelling ngeats.
It ii tho duty Of these mon to travel from place
to place and solicit trnde, and Offer such extra
reductions from schedule rates aH will induce
shippers to ship over their roapoctlVo lines.
OVERLOOKING.
Another trick to solicit tr1uo and to get around
the regular tariff is tho following a carload Of
freight il usually taken ht 20, 600 pounds, but. il
tho shipper ia a favorto one, lie III allowed to
load from 5000 to 10000 more pounds OIL oach
chr, for which amount nothing whatever is
charged. Dir. James smith, the General Freight
Agent OF the Cbicago j. Alton Rniruad
tho other day showed Tribune
reported number OF bills Of laling flom the
Burlington Rallroad. whore cars Of 20, 006 pounds
were loadca With 80, QUO to $4,000 pounds, still
| tile charges were only for 20, 600.
THE NORTHWESTERN CIRCULAR.
| To stop this practice Oh the Chicago i North
western Railroad, General Frolght-Agont
Whcolor has issued tho following circular:
| CHICAGO, March 20, 1874
10 all Aasnts Chicaao Il ho.assssrn jasuy, Ni"ond
| .t:': Ie'sr Rattraaa, and 70 tunher ttfalers:
Notice Ii hereby given that no carload shipment OF
lu,nbcr {harL HofD, ath anl Shingles slaves and
| heading, cooperage, save-bolta WAgon-stock, tan.
bark, fcnce-pos telegraph, hop md hoop-polta
otncr easload freight of this usure will he rated less
Exccsa Of %, COO mud not exceeding $4,000 pounds
| will 10 charged II proportionnto rate.
E1cess Of NJ, 600 and not exceeding 81 200 1onnlt
will be charged proportionate rate, md In addition
thereto penalty Of 1 cents per 100 pounds
! FOR tho weight above ~ 900 pounds.
No should be loaded or allowed, nn.ler any cir
cutnsances, to leayo tie oa1ng or forwarding snteI
with moro than 24.0 pounds: g: WHEELER,
General Fseight Agent.
III, I1uau1rT. General Superintendent.
Owing to tho faithleasucss Of tho Genera
Freight Agents Of many roads who violate over.
agroomont mndo, general distrust cxist
among thom at present, and this III tho mai1
cauae tint 90 many freight lines arc fighting
each other, and that rates are continually cut.
l