Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-08-06
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Takes Action Relative to a River Ele'
VatOr and Railroad Dlscrimina-
lions = Full Reports Of
Committees.

The chamber Of commerce met at 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon, Vice Presi-
dent GoOdbar occupying the chair. The
following reports of committees were
read and received:
DETERMINATION IN FREIGHT RATES.
To the President and Members Of the Cham
Der Of Commerce:
GENTLEMEN - Your committee on
ireights beg leave to submit the follow.
ing report:
Having their attention called to the
discrimination 10 the rate Of freight By
river from st. houis to Memphis, as
compared 10 that to New Orleans and
intermediate points, your committee ad.
dressed a letter Of date July 10th to jobs
A. Scudder, president Of the Memphis
and st. Louis Packet Company asking
him if the tariff Of rates therein given
we're correctly published, and, if so, why
this great discrimination against our
Memphis trade. The answer OF Presi.
dent Scudder bears date Of July 18th.
Our reply Of July 18th called forth Pres.
ident Scudders letter Of July 10Th, thus
ending the correspondence had with the
president Of the Memphis and St. Louis
Anchor Line Company. Without going
into q lengthy argument, or attempt
ing to enumerate reasons so sug.
g%estive in themselves, your committee
retired from a correspondence which
elected such a warmth Of feeling against
our city as to totally ignore the justice Of
our complaint, aud with silence, we
might say, treat the important question
at issue, viz: the determinations Of the
Anchor Line against the trade of Mem.
phis. Alter a careful perusal Of the
correspondence given, it seems hardly
necessary for your committee to report
that the wrong complained of is still en-
forced against US. The city of Memphis,
lying within 400 miles of St. Louis, on a
river navigsble at oil seasons of the year,
with q large annual tonnage, about three
fourths OF which Is brought to our doors
by President Scuddes's Anchor Line, is
taxed with Q higher tariff rate on every
article she buys than is New Orleans, a
distance from st. Louis Of 1900 miles.
The question might we'll be asked, who
is to blame2 The evil is patent to us all,
and the remedy is with ourselves. Our
admiration for an enterprise so admirs
bly, organized and conducted as was the
Memphis and. st. Louis Anchor Line
company was well calculated to quiet
any suspicion Of discrimination against
our local interests, and we presume for
this reason the warnings by our city
press failed to invite scrutiny until facts
and figures were exposed.
Your committee recommend that &C
tive steps be taken to give our trade a
proper and fair rate on river freights
coming from st. Louis. Your committee
would suggest as remedies:
Flrst-A line of boats, to be run under
the immediate control and supervision
OF the merchants of Memphis; or,
Second-To invite outside boats to
compete for our trade, asking and giving
guarantees, as the case might demand;
or,
Third-That O committee OF five be
appointed by the merchants OF Memphis,
granting unto them full powers to nego
tate and secure for US a tariff Of rates,
aud to control and manage our shipping
interests, both by river aud rail; and, il
found necessary, to employ a bonded
agent, who shall be Immediately under
their control, and shall be located when
and where needed, whose whole duty
shall be to secure for our trade a rate on
all freights shipped to our merchants at
o price equitable to us and to the public
carriers, whoever they may be.
M l. MEACHAM,
0fM. l.. Meacham & Co
A. D. GwYENE,
OF Stewart, Gwynne b Co.,
Committee.
It was announced hat the Little Rock,
Louisville, Mississippi and Tennessee
aud Charleston railroads had agreed to
subscribe literally toward the erection OF
the elevator. The Charleston road would
subscribe fifteen thousand dollars.
ELEVATOR AT THE FOOT OF WASHINGTON
Fl STREET
Hon. Ben Eissman. Chamber Of Commerce,
Memphis, Tennessee:
Dih-Iu ConpihuSo WIN buG dublCo 40
Unsigned your committee for the purpose
of considering the possibility of erecting
an elevator at our wharf would respect,
fully report that il is desirable to erect
an elevator, and, in our opinion, the foot
Of Washington street would be the most
suitable for all parties at interest, aud
recommend the location at that point.
There are now centeriug ACCESSIBLE to
} that place four different railroads, with
> one other yet 10 form e%opueetion, thus
bringing all the steamboat interests in
! direct communication with that Of the
! railroads, which, in our opinion, Is greatly
to be desired and enabling some branches
| of our business to more successfully com.
pete with st. Louis, Chicago and other
Northern cities. We would respectfully
and earnestly ask tho 90 operation Of our
brother neutrality-suspicious., real estate
| owners, az we'll as our steamboat and
railroad friends, to Join US in subscrib-
ing funds necessary to build a 6rst.class
elevator, including accommodation for
grain in bulk, aud would suggest that q
J. stock company be formed, chr ter pre-
b cured, and al steps utlessa y for the