New-York tribune., 1875-01-27
ASSOCIATED RAILROADS STILL RIVALS.

| affected, was recently seen lh Westorh O"i""'
| ASSOCIATED RAILROADS STILL RIVALS.
THE VARYING RATES OF WESTERN RoADs-sEoREr
COMPETITION or THE TRUNK LIsEs-DRrART-
uRrs pRoM THE FIXED STANDARD OF RATES
VIEWS OF FREIGHT AGENTS.
The disruption of all definite arrangements
as TO tho rates freight from the West to the sea
board aud the prospect OF trouble among the trunk
hnes about freights from the Atlantic TO the West.
to be far serious than many OF tho railroad
officials feel Inclined to acknowledge. sharp and
general competition Is not unlikely to arise ut any mo-
mept The upon these subjects of various freight
agents in this city weo sought yesterday. ]. Smith,
General Manager at Chicago of the Erie and North
Shore line, who wns q business visit to
New-York said that the roads from the west
were carrying freight for what they could get It was
not question OF all II appeared 10 him as IL
the Western Commissioners had entirely lost their grip
and the roads wore hounderipg about In rough sea
without helm or compass. To grain from Chicago
TO NevYork for s5 cents carrying at loss aud no
railroad could long at such prices and yet there
were lines Offering to carry grain at 25 cens and even
less. The Commissioners In New-f0rk we're far nrmer
in their hold upon the railroads. and he believed that
the present rates for westbound freight would be main
tslned He had Gov DenDison one OF the Eastern
Board and from him had learned that the rates for
westbound freight would be kept up, no matter how
the Western roads might quarrel among themselves
G. Dumont freight agent Of the Lake Shore line, at
No Astor House, said he believed that tho different
fast freight agents we're maintaining the rates Ior
westbOund freight in accordance with the iarn SET
down by the Commissioners. He knew OF no one who
was Offering rebates wbacks The Western roads
could afford to take freight at less than The nAed
| rates, for the Erie Pennsylvania Central, and New
York Central would all require their full pro rata OF the
tariff rates Any reduction would therefore fall on the
| competing Western lines alone, and they could not
afford IL. 1.-THE Grand Trunk Great western, or any
other line chose to carry freighs from Buffalo to De-
trot and Chicago for nothing, they might do So but
! rata !t the goods wero sS:p9ed from New-York
G. Vanderbilt Grnss freight 6Esut OF tho Micbigan
Southern Raroad sali hst 10 kne nothing aort the
eastward.bOuBd freight; but ifOS2 All tne WB-Dns
which he bad seem no freight was now brongh. I1c'
Chicago the seaboard for less than % cents He was
convinced that the Vesl-bonnd trelSht rates were
firm. He had learned tnat freight was carried froi1
Boston 10 Chicago at the rate OF 70 cents instead OF ~
As this competition would not do perhaps tue trunk
the conflict; although the prices were low enough now
and much below what they mad ever been before IN he
their roads at pro rata rate IN accordance with the
e. p freeman Of the National line No e7I Broadway
said DO had heard rumors OF competition by means OF
rebates but DID not actually Know OF men On & tns
fairly maintained" lie had heard that Boston freights
long The reduction had arisen ffom quarrel between
the Vermont Central and Grand Trunk kiwsys. and as
each trying TO get the carrying trade OF tho other
! the rates had fallen on both lines.
| NJ IT, Hovey general agent OF the Great Western
Despatch (south Shore in) at No. 29 Broadwsy said
that he believed the rates were maintained. He had
| been solicited TO make special rate for freight aud
CAV. the tariff rate. The customer went all along the
! street, and. he back to him. he lthe agenl
looked upon that fact "a an evidence that ihe tarlf
rates we're kept up Tue line had lost none OF Its rcgu
lar business since the rates had been raised lilo felt
sure that e railroads earning no money even at
| the present rates for westhound freight.
The officials at the ptmoro and ONO Riilroad offices.
No Broadway, said that rh1y had received certain
tariff OF rates!he came those cn.:Sed by the other
trunk lines-and they had TO abide OJ H. TaoSo VINO
had the to make contracts werH ehs"nt from the
city, and tnoss who remained almost iron bouua
~ the rates Toey believed that some agents were
giving rebates but had not dared to do 1t openly Some
lines would do almost anything to secure business from
roads The tariff In some eases was considered to
were charged 81 10. while IL carried further on to
San Francisco for s Many merchants had said 1t was
ha We them ppcd Salt Lake City, than to send
Jobn Muiford freight agent OF the Michigan Central
and Great Western Railways (blue line), at No. $40
Broadway said tina, the reason whv grain was brought
cause there market here for wheat and the rail
| TIE roliing-socR had to be brought East for the
| transportation Of weStoound freight; and II
| at loss than to haul the ears empty. The
roads dill want to do rIinous business but when
vessel had brought to this In ballast, 1t
better TO load her with some freight at price than
to pay for valueess ballast 30 with the railroads and
eastbound freight As to the Western roads carrying
fstOound freight for nothing that was all nonsense.
The Western roads were not going to make contracts for
fregh: TO put money INTO me pockets ol inc directors
of either Tue New York Central. Erie, or Pennsyyana
HaIF1ada N contracts were made by western roads,
the Estern roads would only get their pro rata of the
raes received and according to the miles Travelled
In the rates 81 for 1000 miles, aud the Western
roads hauled the freight $40 miles they would receive "a
cents and the Eastern roads 40 cents. IL tho rate
| received wcre only so cents the Western roads
| woull have TO receive ~ cents and Elstern roads
% cents The Western roads would lot give the L. ist
roads and take only cents themselves for
they would her remain idle They could afford
idle quite as long as the Eastern lines TGe Mchr
gan Central had lost OF its business since
had been raised and yet bad made no reductions On
westbound freight. He hoped the rates would be
no money The companies were all poor. thor treas
uries empty and as no line could Afford 20 lose
anything frcights the agents could keep firm at
fixed beng cheaper to do no business than To
Out rolling stock at n0n-paying rate.