The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-31
Unjust Discrimination of Freight
Rates Against New York.
IT'S EVIL CONSEQUENCES.
The Chamber of Commerce Appoint a
Committee of Conference.

discriminate against the commerce OF this CITY ana
grossly injure It's mercantile interests.
Mr. Samuel d. Babcock presided During the meet
Ing tho room was crowded with merchants Business
commenced with the Offering OF The following resou-
lions by Mr. Charles S. SMITH
Whereas In the opinion OF Chamber of Commerce OF
the City New York, 1t that tbs conditions OF r
ana the leading lines OF thi, state nterdepend-
en and msepaane, and mat harmony should always pre-
Resolved. shat special committee OF representatives,
city TO known the COMMITTEE Railroad irans-
poration of the Chamber Of Conmece be appointed by
this CHAMBER. nom time To time upon The relations ex-
railroad iaes connecting New YORK with the West and
what are necessary 10 insure or Tue commerce. OF
i"i ft' ''''''"'
Mr. Smith said it was not desired by the merchants
OF New York that the railroads should make nondvi-
dend paying rates for freight They have no desire
to dictate the gentlemen in charge OF these large
corporations how they snail manage their own prop
,rty the ouIy claim Tor the merchants Of New York
equal justice. They intend, however to INSIST with
ali the force at their command avert discrimination
TO tue prejudice of New York II it be necessary he
continued, we shall Insist that the valuable powers
granted by State Legislature shall not be used Tor
the oppression oil our commerce.
rHURBER's VIEWS.
Mr. +. e. Thurbcr, in secon1ing the resolutions,
made speech OF some length IN favor OF fair rata
reight ami against specific contracts. He said that
Now York been charged higher rates from and to
Western points than Baltimore Philadelphia, Tor tho
alleged that the distance being greater the cost
was higher This at first. seems plausible reason
bu. when put side by side with tho fact that large
business, especially railroad transportation, is done
cheaper than smaller one; that long hauls a
hundred miles, or less, aiier the cars are once
loaded aud In motion. makes but very little difference,
ho nal q and
New York is less than TO anu from other seaboard
cities, il looks differently. The Baltimore and
OHIO and Pennsylvania Central roads claim the
right to make lower rate rom and 10 the seaboard
than the Now York roads, because their lines arc
shorter and more direct. while the Grand Trunk
makes The claim because its ro1ta is larger and
more crcuitous.
This phase OF discrimination, however. is OF vastly
lees i'm poran than the one Of giving special con-
tracts large firms the interior, and TO this III my
opinion, may attribute, TO great extent, the un-
satisfactory state OF our business and real estate in-
tercsts For years trunk lines have been 10 the
habit OF contracting with large houses in the interior
TO carry their freight IRON twenty five to fifty per
cheaper than they carried for the general public
The effect OF this has been build up these houses
ut The expense OF the seaboard Jobuers; To prevent
small buyers from frequently coming to this market,
they used to DO the roads thus injurng their pas
sengcr business
SPEECH GENERAL DODGE
General Z. e. Dodge next spoke favor OF the
luton. lie SAID that during good part OF last sum.
mer the current rates from Liverpool TO Chicago
were Tor heavy freight l2s. Cd. sterling, wnIie tho
ocean rates alone between Liverpool ana New York
were LIS. I'd sterling and Ten per cent added Tor
primage-that Is, goods brought by the same steam.
efs to the port OF New FORK were charged more Tor
transportation than the same goods at the same time
could have been brought by The same steamers 10
New York and ransshipped here and carried 1000
miles by rail INTO the INTERIOR Meantime the rate
from Liverpool to ST Louis was l5s, net, and CORE
spending rates were made 10 the oiher prih-
cipa cities in The unied states. After the
combination OF the trunk lines, which took
effect on the LIST OF September, II was
announced that the system OF through freights,
which had placed all our seaports at such great dis
advantage, would be abolished, and that thereafter
through rates should not under any circumstances,
be Less than full ocean tariff and regular railroad
rates from the seapots To the INTERIOR 50 that goods
shipped from ubrond TO our seaports their destna-
tlon should have comparatively equal chances II re-
sold at the latter points ana orwa ded 10 the interior
again with goods gong directly through in transit
Ihis expected condition OF things, however, did
not soon after the through tariff OF 3os. and
SOS. from Liverpool TO Chicago anu 45s aud 52s from
Liverpool TO 81 LOUIS ana otter points had been
need, via New York, Boston, Philadelphia ana
Baltimore, II was discovered that large shipments
could DC made Ny The ocean steamers TO Montreal,
and thence by tEe Grand Trunk TO Western desina-
nations at about tho rates that mad prevailed
during Tho summer-viz, los. and lis. from
Liv, rpoOl to Chicago and ST. Louis; and alter tho
navigation ny The ST. Lawrence was closed, which
merchants supposed would put an end TO tnat com
petition II was asccrLained that Dominion steam
snip ana other lines TO Portland ana the independent,
Warren and Layland steamers 10 Boston. were IN
Conjunction with the Grand trunk, Vermont Central
ana Erie and North shore lines Offering through rates
at not over seventeen cents 10 81 Louis and fifteen
cents TO Chicago, Cincinnati Detroit, Toledo, &c.
All this time through rates VIA New ork were man-
tanned ut the iul published schedule Of tnirty-lve
nnd hity-two, besides which during early fan the
Illinois Central Railroad were able TO complete
their connections with New Orleans by both ran and
water, ana Issued circular grceingto bring through
ircights from Liverpool and other English ports via
New Orleans 10 tue West ut less than combination
through rates announced by tho Eastern trunk lines.
Subsequently, about The middle OF December the YER
mont Central, Ellie anu North Shore Grand Trunk
broke away from tho combination, and goods were
freely taken from Boston and Portland at one-lhlrd or
less than the Tor the class OF goods TO
The same destinations out OF New YORK.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS OPINION
Mr.. Chauncey NJ. Depew. who attended on behalf OF
fvored the resolution anu regretted that organi-
Eaton had been formed before by the mer-
chants TO confer with the railroads. The New
York Central, as railroad pure and simple,
fully appreciates the burdens arising from the
present troubles, and is anxious to cooperate with
the merchants IN remedylng the evil. The road be-
gins IN New York and ends at the lakes, passing
through all important cities, towns and villages and
one foot vi IT goes outside OF the State Tue rail-
Road company did not, as had been stated underrate
The canal Tor tho mai led
Iuye making the business Of Bufa!o, OF which The
railroad OBTAINED its share, when 1t would not have
had but Tor the canal. he railroad wants tor ts own
eres TO bring the business TO New YORK, but railroads
outside the state had made rates aud conditions winch
the New YORK Central had TO meet as best 1t could
TINS led some time ago to disastrous war; wnen
thirteen cents and even ten cents causing weak roads
TO iail and strong ones 10 pay no dividend. Tue New
YORK Central Company proposed to meet the trouble,
b as TO procure tue maintenance OF equal rate,
but at the same time to be conservative 1t did not
want to plunge into reckless If peace could be
mantuipcd but II that could not be secured then tho
Central would do the other thing At the same time
he would ask what had the merchants to assist
Inc railroads to meet the compct onY The lreighls
had To bear expensive wharf anu port charges, winch
JhIlacci pha and Baltimore had not. and denied
the terminal facilities which Philadelphia ana Bal
timoro had. The rails Ia those cities ran to
the Tree wharf, where tho goods from the steamships
were placed directly INTO tue cars. Here the city
fuses allow the railroads 10 TORY feet order
10 reach the steamships aud extra cost soveuly
cents per ton was caused thereby. The company mad
expended 500 900 to improve the terminal lac 1T
ties UIing the lighter nearer to the cars, and
hen IL was proposed TO build per that steam
shlps could reach the cars tho city and -
.You ust build the pier at your expense, pay the
city annual rental Tor ten years and at the end OF
TINT time surrender tho pier, otherwise you cannot
have tho permission TO build IT," The gentleman
then SPOKE OF tho necessity OF making special rates
hate ann q ur