The New York herald., 1875-12-08
LOW FREIGHTS DEMANDED.

West which compels buyers at New York to pay higher
tariffs than from Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore al
though the goods sold at lower prices in New York
than in the other cities named.
The meeting very well attended. Mr. b. p
Baker presided, with Mr. Lees Secretary The Com
mittee Railways read many interesting letters re-
ceved since the last meeting the tariffs discriminate
ing against New York. and the Board ordered the cor
respondence TO DO placed before the meeting of mer-
chants in the Chamber OF Commerce to-day. Among
other letters OF interest from the New York Gen.
trail Railroad Company Speeches made by Mr.
c. A. Merwin, John H. Kemp, +. b. Thurber, Charles
Watrous and Others in favor OF combined action of
the merchants OF New York TO construct a double
| track freight railway from New York to Omaha. with
| branches to Chicago and ST. Louis.
The delegation from the ASSOCIATION TO the American
Board of transportation and Commerce, to meet in
| Chicago on Wednesday next will be composed Of
George A. Merwin, A. B, Miller, John H. Kemp, H. X
Miller, George Brown, Theodore +. Lees and B. ?.
| Baker
The following letter read from Johnston Co.,
| No. sos Broadway would 1nd IL great
venience If we could register merchandise pack
ages The present laws obge us to pay letter postage
any mail matter that register. We do not think
that it would cost the government to write up
merchandise package than il does to write up regis
tered letter. for which the charge is ten cents If
have four package to send by merchandise mali
| it costs four cents and would willingly pay ten
cents more registry fee; but by tho law must pay
twentyfour cents postage and ten cents registry,
send it without registry. It is possible that there Is
some for this rule that do not see, but we
would suggest that the present law likely to be
well overhauled at the opening Of Congress- associa
ton consider what win be the efficient method Of
securing the change herein proposed and inaugurate
theerort.n 1t referred to the Committee Legis
lation.
The President announced that the annual meeting
and election ofocers Of the association will be held
the third Tuesday in January.
Mr.. John II. Kemp, chairman Of the Committee on
Claims and Grievances read the following report which
accepted and adopted after which the meeting ad
iourned:-
Mr. PRESIDENTIAL the Ii meeting OF this Board tho
Committee on Claims and Grievances reported several
instances illustrative of large number, TO which
attention had been called where in shipments made
Western points from Boston and from New York, there
was clear discrimination in rates against this city Of at
least thirty per cent During the past few weeks
other instances have been reported showing that the
discrimination at present is against us about 100 per
cent. We will reeite that plainly illustrates
the practical effect OF the condition Of things com
planned Of
New York broker. The price of the article here
&c. per pound, gold; freight from New York to des
nation, 4lc. per 100 In Boston the article was held at
1-16c. per pound, gold; freight from Boston to des
nation 2lc per 100 The 1l6c per pound cost of the
to 64c per 100; but the freights from Boston being
20c per 100 less than from New York, there
difference of1324 per 100 in favor of making the pur
chase in Boston The difference Of itself was hand
profit and II is unnecessary TO add the soda ash
was bought in Boston, although the price OF the art
Gle was less here. In this instance and in the instan
referred to in last report, the shipments
made railroad that owes its existence to fran
chises obtained from this State, and which is uniyer
sally recognized as New York road
SIGNIFICANT
Our attention has also been called TO stationery used
! by Boston merchants IN their correspondence,
which appears the following conspicuous card
sWholesale merchants take notice "Frcight from
Boston Southern and Western points is usually
than from New York" The relative interests OF the
corporatlons on which we are dependent for railway
transportation the West forth last
port place this community in position where in our
opinion 1t will ever be liable to such determinations in
freight those alluded TO, at least long
continue to be dependent these corporations 1t has
been said that the Baltimore and Ohio road is oper-
ated in the interest OF Baltimore. 1t doubtless is
operated just far as that plan cooperation serves the
interests Of the Baltimore and Ohio corporation and its
managers but further 1t is true that the interests
of that corporation and fthe city of Baltimore
closely allied than the interests of any other trunk
line with this or any other seaboard city But we
find since the Baltimore and Ohio company has como
TO understanding with the other trunk lines in
gard rates out of New York and other points in
Guided in the combination that company is receiving
freights at Boston, transporting by sea to Baltimore
and from thence their road to the West at less
than their rates from Baltimore to the same points
This action of the Baltimore and Ohio company is
par with the Pennsylvania and Erie companies, who
will bill from Boston at less rates than from New York
and stand the arbitrary charges from Boston TO and
through the city
THESE ANOMALIES OF THE TRUNK LINES
arise from the fact that the New York Central road
cannot that it cannot, consistently make
its rates out of Boston conform to its rates out of New
York. We would respectfully suggest the Commit
tee Railway Transportation that facts such we
have herein briefly mentioned point Enthusiastically to
danger which threatens not only New York. but every
city and State in the Union, should our transportation
system continue much longer absolutely under corpo-
rate control Unless there shall be provided some
measure broad and national in character which shall
regulate and harmonze conflicting elements, and make
the interests OF commerce paramount to tho
interests OF corporations Individuals may
expect the commerce of this country,
later bear the same relation to the commerce of other
countries as guerilla warfare bears to the movements
OF a well disciplined army. Your committee is doing
all in its power to devise means for temporary relief in
the matter which forms the subject of this report and
is now IN communication with proper parties to that
end
A letter. a copy of which we append to this report
has been addressed by prominent merchants to leading
houses different branches Of trade, calling meet
ing tomorrow at the Chamber ofCommerce to consider
the subject
= Respectfully suhmttoq-John H; Kemp, H
Lchtenstein and Theodore +. Lees, Committee.
CALL FOR MEETING.
NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 1875
DEAR SrRs-The course adopted by the freight lines
Of New York within the past few years has become
antagonistc to the general commercial interests OF
our city and SO injurious to many of the leading
branches OF trade centred here TO the great special ad
vantage OF neighborng competing points, that unless
New York merchants take some prompt and definite
action to protect themselves and the future welfare Of
: the metropolis both must suffer seriously.
The combination rates west from New York for the
present winter have been arranged on basis to many
important points nearly 100 per cent in favor of Bos
and always largely in favor or Baltimore and Phila
dephia, mostly over the same roads.
1t has been proposed for the sake of some immediate
expression OF the widespread dissatisfaction felt
this account that leading house from each class of
trade directly affected by the injustice should be asked
To prepare short, condensed statement OF the rea-
on New York bears to other cities on this question at
the present time far their line OF goods is con-
sidered, and
To be represented with such statement at meeting to
be held at the of the Chamber Commerce. the
corner ofWiam and Cedar streets on Wednesday next
the sth inst at two O'Clock p NJ consider the facts
and take such early steps will best satisfactory
relief
May ask your hearty cooperation and, through
you, that OF the branch OF trade you represents
NEW HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.