The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-11-16

New York Tinses.l

ltauroadss' have RECENTLY made,
bold move Tor the purpose of secur
ipg the control eff the entire trad.
Ill this c'muiry between the Allan
tic and Pacific COASTS,
Ii is customary for the Unicr
Company to make the rates o.
freight going westward, and fo,
the Central Company to tx the
rates on freigbt coming IN this di.
rectlon; but'as thetwc roads ,9erk
together III matters Of this kind
ttey may be considered as vlrtu
ally Qua corporation. "a few weeks
since, word was sent TO b"th east
ward aud westward Shippers that
II they did not make a contract for
4 year to send all their merchsp-
disc over these two roads. thew
would be charged for Whatever
shipments they made Twelve cents
per pound, which was a considers
Die Increase On the former tariff
AT the Time little uotice was taken
OF tnls threat The rates by way
OF the Isthmus of Panama were
hive cents per- pound, aud ship
ments that would ordinarily have
betu sent Ivy rail were dispatched
by steamer Bit in 4 few days a
new obstacle TO free Transports.
ton presented itself In accord
shcs with an agreement entered
INTO between ,he Union and Cen
tral railroad companies and the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company,
the latter Increased its rites totem
cents per pound, and the elterna-
tlses permitted the merchauss were
10 ship their merchandise by sail
nag vessels around Cape Horn. or
to accept the proposition OF the
railroad companies. After consul
tatlon. several of tie Shippers con
ciuded 10 come 10 terms with the
railroad companies, aud were not
diSpIesse', 10 lind that they could
make MI agreement for year ON
'be basis OF t,uu and half cents
per- pound, raie considerably low
er than All. hitherto charged. Of
course, the natural result of this
was To force other shippers into
Concurrent action, so that now
there Is hardly a prominent basi
ness honse engaged in sending
manufac' ured goods to California,
OF IA, receiving wool, teas, etc, fcom |
the extreme West, that has not
sighed paper committing its |
trade for twelve N .nths into the
bands Of the ralroad companies. |
Or course this does not apply 10
tiinse who sent heavy ana cnegp
such as iron, coal
and certain kinds of machinery;
these are. still sent by sailing YES
setS, though 1t is understood that
the railway companies intend max
my SPECIAL rates ON these goods at
iethiug sess than one cen. per
pouint Tor the purpose OF divert
ng these articles also into their
,wn chained What the agreement
u with the Prcitic Mail, ny which
hat Company allows ITS trade to
" aiken fiom It's not detinite!,
ln0wn, though the probabilities
ire that. instead Of tue pooling
y stem, certain fixed sum, Say
$50 900, il allowea by the railroad
'onpsnles to, make good the ipssi
IN the iItlehttf each steamer. Z u
The ultimate inject II the rQiiruaJ
ffc'ats as 10 dr,oe of all con,ftsi- .
lon. and as they control the short
st aud quickest route, they have ,
My To reduce their rates to affect
herr purpose As they can, by ,
greem+nt. regulate the workings {
{ the steamship lire, their aim
INST be To force virtual abunl ,
onment If shipments by sailing s
essels Those sending goodsiby {
'ay Of Cape Horn labor under sew {
rnl disadvantages. Five months {
sually elnpse between the delivery &
I goods at the ships side and b
heir discharge; and, in addition Z
, tins loss If time, there ia inter- 3
st on The invesi nient and the OK &
enses ct marine insurance to- De B
ken into account. From all of G
lese the shipper by rail across the
eau free himself, and
ence the railroad companies have |,
ply to offer favorable terms of n
ansportatiuh to have everything 3
leir own way But, in all com h
-tItive contests, the question il a
L Il A. l "