New-York tribune., 1878-11-09
RAILROAD MEN CONSULTING.

ARRANGING FOR AN EAST-BOUND POOL.
DISCUSSION OF SIX HOURs-THE DIVISION OF
PERCENTAGES THE STUMBLING -BLoCK-ANoTHER
MEETING TO BE HELD TODAY
An important meeting of railroad managers
held yesterday the Windsor Hotcl The meeting
called by the Committee OF New-Iork Trunk Lines
appointed Saratoga August to take into cOnsidera
tiun the division Of Easbound traffic. Tie committee
had previously determined that the points OF division
agreed upon, Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louis
willie. Cincinnati and Peoria, not sufficient to cover
all routes by which freight might be shipped TO the East
and that order make the pool effective the follow
ing points should be added Cairo Evansville, La
fayette Columbus Toledo, Detroit, Port Huron,
Joi.ct and Milwaukee. The object OF the meet
ing, "a stated in 4" secret " circular issued
by Commissioner Fink, on the authority Of the Trunk
Line Committee, was to make division OF the east
bound freight, only between the termi-
nal lines from the several pooling points which
have not yet agreed, but also to make the dlvls-
ion between the various connections Of each
terminal line and their connections, until the
freight reaches its hnal destination The circular
also calls for full account OF the dis
trbutIon OF business received by tho roads Mt Chi
cago and from points West. THIS Information was re-
qured from the Michigan Central Grand Trunk, Great
Western Canada Southern, Lake Shore Pttsburg, Gin
cunau and St. Louis Toledo. Wabash and Western, In
dadapols aud st. Louis and Ohio and Mississippi roads
In conclusion, Commissioner Fink says:
These merely used basis to such
extent the interested parties may specially agree
division could only be made IN an ir arDl-
tory From the foregoing twill appear that the forma-
on Of an Easbound pool, IN the manner contempateG
before division can be made and when the division
chiEory carry 1t INTO practical effect.
The meeting yesterday was organized by selectingJ
" Mccullough, Yice-President of tie Pennsylvania
Company, chairman. and William Duncan,
General Freight Agent of the Ohio and Mis-
sssippi Road secretary Among those present were
H. b. Ledyard. General Manager of the Michigan
Ccntral Road; John Newell. General Manager OF the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Road; Mr. Bentley,
OF the Grand Trunk Road; ] ling hast, Presi-
dent OF the Canada Southern Road; George b.
sprggs. General Freight Agent OF the Great Western
Railway OF Canada; j. H. Deyercux, president OF the
Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati aud indianapolis
Railway and receiver OF the Atlantic and Great Western
Railway John L. simpson, General Manager of the St.
Louis Vundalia and Terre Haute and Indianapolis and
ST. Louis Railroads; A. /. Hopkins, General Manager OF
the Toledo, Wabash and Western, ard receiver Of the
Toledo clrla and Warsaw Railroads ID. W. Caldwell,
General Manager Of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St.
LouiJRaway; j. McMulln. General superintendent OF
the Chicago and Alton Road Tucker General Manager
OF the Illinois Central Road. The Trunk lines we're
represented by John King h vice president OF the Bal
timore and Ohio Road A. j. Cassatt. vce-presi-
dent Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Robert Harris, the
agent OF the NewYok Lake Eric aud Western Railway
and j. II. Rutter, general freight agent and j. b.
butcher live stock manager, of the NewEOrk Central
road.
The proposition TO abolish the payment Of commissions
on passenger business and agencies for the sale OF
tickets was discussed, and formidable opposition
was manifested to the proposition unless an
couyaent was guaranteed for the loss that would occur
70 many Of the roads by the change II was maintained
by some that the only way for the compa-
ncs which operated long routes TO fairly COM
pete with shorter routes to the same points
was In the payment OF commissions to agents
aud that by tho establishment OF limited
number OF agencies tho travelling public was
accommodated 1t generally conceded last
evening that this proposition would not receive sum
cient support to warrant any change at present
After discussing various subjects pertaining to trans
portatlon charges and matters OF local inter
est, the proposition TO form new East
bound freight pool was called up. and
elected general and times decidedly exciting dis
cusslon The principal dispute was over the proposed
percentages. The Michigan Central Road claimed
that It was entitled to larger percentage than
was accorded under tho former. pool as 1t
had "a important feeders the Grand Trunk. Great
Western and Canada Southern Roads. The LAKE Shore
claimed "A large percentage, the ground that
IL carried to the New.York Central and Erie
Roads a heavy tonnage received from leading Western
roads In fact" said representative, "each
road wanted 50 per cent OF the tonnage 10 DC
allotted And when It figured up to 200 or
200 per cent, It was found that there was
little or no profit any Of the roads. There was ap-
uarently desperate effort to divide one by three and
have something left over II the Michigan Central and
Lake shore roads to receive what they demanded
tho Plttsbur2 Fort Wayne and Chicago Road would
have little nothing its snare Tor the very large
tonnage which II carries"
The manager Of prominent Western road stated
that after consulting with many managers II had
been determined not TO enter into any new pool
nnless the Commissioner should be invested
with arbitrary power 10 enforce his orders, ho
claimed that in previous pools Commissioner
Midgoy was handicapped and that, being
stripped Of authority to compel obedience 10
HIS orders, they were continually DrOKeh
and that the pool virtually farce. He gave notcc
that az lar lis road concerned 10 would not again
20 into auy such pool He also opposed any advance III
freight rutrs and he demanded fair and cqutaOle
division of the tonnage. ., ,
Aftcr remaining in session from IL a. m. until
D. NJ tue conference adjourned until 10 O'Clock
this morning. Last evening private caucus caucus
was held in Room No. 13 of the windsor
Hotel at which vicePresident King, General Manager
Iedyard Commissioner Fink and others were
present, it was said TO prepare COMPROMISE
schedule 10 he presented to the meeting 20 De
held this morning Commissioner FINK salu las.
evening that he felt confident that an East-6ound
pooI wOuld be agreed upon which would Include the
thtrty-our Western roads, under the mahagement OF
one Commissioner. He also stated that there