The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-24
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.

HAVE TO BEAR.
The State Senate Committee, consisting OF SEN
ators Kellogg, Connolly ana Johnson, lately APP
pointed 10 investigate the rate OF alleged exces-
stve terminal charges on grain coming into New
York met yesterday in the once OF the Cheap
transportation Association, Pearl street. Senator
Kellogg IN the chair. Several persons VINO had
been cited TO appear before the committee were
present ana testified under OATH
r. G. Ricn, grain receiver OF this city, was the
first to testify, In yesterdays proceedings ne
said an item OF expense in terminal grain charges
had been omitted The total charges per bushel
grain were really AZ cents and not S2s cents,
as stated. The charges for elevatlng are X cent,
storage y cent, llghteraGe ~ cent, reweghing
4 cent, and the charges Tor redeivering from y
10 q OF q cent, making total or ABOUT AZ cents
per bushel. The grain brought TWO cents per oushel
less in warehouse than aiioar. No boat brought
less than from 6,Ooo 10 1000 bushels to the load.
lie could tell nothing about portage charges and
knew or no combination Tor the purpose OF keep
ing up terminal charges. These were, he be-
lieved. uniform throughout. The rate seemed TO
rest upon q mutual understanding among those
interested. Members Of companies owning ele-
vators and others had net to consult about the
reduction OF rates.
THE TRANSFER or GRAIN
and the storage charges were different. The lat
the nrst ZEN DAYS. The charges OF stationary and
noatng elevators did not diner from each other
The annual trade OF New York in this line OF bus-
ness-graln-was equal to s9o.oooOoo.
Mr. s. W. Fairfield, President OF the American
Exchange (butIer ana cneese), made long state
ment, the general tenor OF which was that be had
ascertalned the annual loss resulting from trans
fers and transshlpments OF merchandise IN New
York 10 be $50, 100000. He then read paper
tI,aT fh LAST lam
TO the Chamber OF Commerce in this city, IN which
he tooK the ground that New York
must take immediate action for the pur-
nose or procuring better facilities than
now exist for the exchange, storage and transfer
or merchandise. The piers OF the Hudson are ter
mini for upwards OF 1000 miles OF railroads. The
prosperity OF New York depended upon the
American trade in the domestic staples OF food
not cereals alone, but dairy products, provisions,
&C. The books or the Clearing House last year
had on their pages S33,972, ,942 81. The total
export trade during the same time was
s3ls 9s3. and the estimated total tonnage ofths
port was 100 900, 600 TONS Any plan contemplating
the transfer or this tonnage rom our river piers
amounted, he said, to a tax that would invite IL
10 other ports. A general exchange for the con-
yenieuce OF commerce and united movement or
the merchants at TINS centre. under the auspices
OF such an institution for economical terminal and
storage facilities were the chief requirements OF
our The absence oil a general exCnanRe
involved the necessity, on the part OF small mer-
chants and Others 10 spend much OF th6lr time In
bargaining with dealers at opposite SIDES o. me
men OF this city were compelled 10 travel from
point to point, IN order TO manage their anaTs at
great trouble and expense. In TINS way we nave
a daily tax OF 100000 and 30,oO0OoO annually, on
OUR CITY TRADE.
without estimating tile carting, storage ana re-
caring OF merchandise consequent upon THIS
anomalous condition Of things. Inc issue now IN
voved was 10 form common TRADE Exchange,
aud TO indicate where railroad companies ana
other pubic carriers ought 70 invest capital Tor the
formation or produce trade centres. TO move ton
81 merchandise by cart IN New YORK costs a much
as 10 transport AZ TO Liverpool. II common cen
ire lar trade were dxed railroad corporations
and others equally interested would afford facl-
Ities Ior reducing present terminal Charges. Inc
$40 600 600 worth ~ cheese exported annually was,
he SAID. moved with mucn Glficalty anu carted at
preat expense from the railroad depot 10 tue Prod
uce Exchange.
could be made the charges for eieyntlng and
moving grain, without taxing away all the pronts
from this line OF business. A quarter cent per
busne could tie tiKea on the sIx-eigntns OF cen.
charged to buyer aud seller. The charges Tor
loading and unloading were nos unreasonable.
The absence oi any system for grading gram IN
ms market was severely felt all SIDES. Even
separate from other samples Of the same grade
aud quality. An equitable grading system would
BRING about reduction OF expense IN handling
by giving large quantities Tor the elevators 70
hoist at once.
Har6or Master F. z. Tucker testified that the
wharfage on canal boats was seventy-nYe cents
per dem. Instead the canals receiving the
benefits OF transportation the railroads come Ia
ana receive q great share IN trade profits There
was now no room or iacLlues for canal trans
aaroor Master John W. Tyler deposed that the
facilities for canal transportation were very poor;
they were included between piers and East
RIVER me SPACE NAV nave been sufficient years
ago but was now altogether inadequate 10 the
present requirements o. trade sometimes boats
have 10 lay tao or three days at their oerths 90
fore they can be sampled. IL was frequently In-
possible 10 get Tor days at time tue boats on
TIER slips under the derrlcks especially during
badly wanted. At times the boats were six or
seven tiers deep outside their beftns
Captain Edmund y. seaman. Port captain,
stated that the docks were divided INTO eleven
districts win narDOr master 70 eacn one.
There was q SAD lack Of accommodation Tor canal
poats. Inc port dues were 81 - per annum on
eacn boat. The wharfage dues were rom nifty 10
sevcnty-hve cents per day ann were payable 70
the lessee q me property whether Il be private Or
Jonn W. Pratt said in substance that boats
might lay for a month before they could be dis
charged. In addition TO the dock dues. an adul-
tIonai item OF expense was incurred by moving
from one dock TO another; sucn charges we're
frequent There were no facilities to meet pres
enL requirements Tor dockage. OF late additional
rates OF insurance han been charged and middle
men received a sdraw bscku out OF them. The
boat owner got nothing from this fund. Insurance
rates had lately advanced, because last season
much property was nozen IA aud consequently
Ihomas f. Porter testified that II western mer-
chants could make shipments by rail- OF one car.
instead oil fiye as heretofore, u would be very
convenient TO them. In other cities there were
we have no such means at our command, and the
consequence was that merchants were often COM
PEELED, against tneIr lnciinatons TO snip Tor B0S-
Ton OF Philadelphia.
william Z. CLARK testified 70 the lnsufncicncY OF
canal boat Accommodations IN New YORK, aud
also TO the usual dock ana Otner charges given
above, stating mat inside berths cost seventy
five cents per day, and that tine Atlantic Basin
people charged Two cents per ton. lie said he
came to New ork last TALL with two boat loads OF
grain under agreement TO hold 10 over 10 Inc lst
oI ApFl a. nine and a hall cents per DusheL lie
was TO receive So per day for the nrst thirty
days ana 81 day aiterward until discharged.
on the fourth day alier arrival ne was
ordered TO the Columbia stores. ID consequence
or his refusal 70 pay the seventY-nve cents
demanded there, the company threw OF the liues
and showed away MS boat; he was thus unable 70
deliver the cargo according 10 contract, ana the