The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-01
THE ORIGIN or TIfE TROUBLE
The baltimore Road Giving one Firm n Mo.
nOpoly AT "A Cut Ruic.

BALTIMORE, March 31.-The business com-
muhty is extraordinarily exercised over tho
impending railway war. and there is "A forlin,
mere thai the hostiities which have already be-
gun will bn protractcd indefinitely. The prc-
vailng impression among grain men in Balti-
more. to-day, is that the Baltimore and Ohio
Company has taken the initiative step in yiolnt-
ing the recent compact between the trunk lines
An extended inquiry among leading members
OF the grain trade here shows that the trouble
began about the middle Of February. About
that time Gill Fisher. grain shippers whose
foreign exchange business Is all done through
hobt Garrett Sons banking house. entered
the market heavily as buyers. They had csLib-
lished about the first OF the yoar the branch
lonse a, 81 Louis Of sherry. Keigler q Co.. it is
believed Tor the purpose Of aiding them in ma
nipu lating fre9hts. Sherry was formerly
freight agent Of the Continental line. aud also
Chicago Railroad. kci glcr was ON 4 Fishrr's
book keeper. About the middle of F"hruary
tle dlSr9yery was made that Gil 4 Fisher hai
cl"Neriy corncrcd' the market al "a time when
comparatively nothing was bring dono
by other grain houses. THY were
hero, fut their western house was GH,muyinp
h"ayily. paying for grain I'VE cents more pcr
AFFORD to do. Inquiry throughout the West
Indicated almost ns positively ~ it was possible
u ascertain that cut rate in favor of this house
ol iiut hs7 thhh ten cents had bcon given
Indirectly by The baltimore and Ohio Company
il' S'l'iuo. II II believed, was arranged al tla
other end Of the road by sherry koigler Il
Co., t. dsarn suspicion. 4 contract was it Is
said. made by Gill & Fishers St Louis
house Tor 800 cars at 2j cents per hundred
the rate being 30 cents from East ST. Louis
me nrn mas since enjoyed almost a monopoly
Of the grain trade of this port and also con.
trolled the foreign trade. until. a few days ago
me secret leaked out, and aroused the greatest
indisnation ON the. part Of other persons in the
trade. Such a policy on the part Of the Balti-
morr and Ohio Company they declared 10 la
suicidal TO the grain interest; of Baltimore
:, Cuts are now in order: and there is rumor
that another house here is now enjoying n still
greater reduction, as "A retaliatory act on the
part OF another of the trunk lines Their pur.
chases recently Justify the belief that the battle
OF the rails has st in in earnest. and that the
bottom has not yet been reached.
IN view OF the wrl-eStablishr1 fact thot tina
III fr"gntS tiir triu-ui III -. 49, ''' '"e
GERS even to max" a general denial of Wander
bits charges is rkingly significant. They
have evidently adopted n policy Of silence. and
II was doubtless in anticipation Of another waI
of the giants that they began curtailing cX-
pcuses. having discharged st"ray two hum
dred mechanics at Mount Clare works.
Tho conference Of the coal companies and the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal representative
continued informally to-day \ representative
Of the canal iniimAtes this evening that impOr.
tnnt developments would be- made on Monday
Tho opinion Il expressed that prDsii mt Gar
rttt between his battle with the railroads and
the antagonism Cf the grra, coal and canal in
terests. Will ind his hands full.