New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-24
RAILWIIS AND SHIPPERS,

WORK OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE.
SPECIAL RArrs-TLEvAroR RATES AT THE GREAT
srAPoRTs-THE STANDARD OIL CoMrANY's
PowER--METHoDs OF OCEAN SHIPMENTS.
The Assembly Committee on Determinations
in Railroad Rates examined officers of the New-iork
Central and Railways yesterday and heard the tes
timOny OF several merchants regarding thCr pushess
Iations with the railroads
r. L. Crawford general Eastern freight agent OF the
NewYOrk Central, testified that the pooling system n
done away with the time contracts. The fast ireieh
lines would not give special rates to shippers "Inou
getting authority from the railroad companies lie mao
suspicion that since the pool had been formed special
rates had been granted 10y some of the railroads con-
neced with IT, The "cutling" might have been done
bv underweghts The New-York Central accents
regarded this the meanest lDethOu VI
emitting rates and had not been guilty OF H.
Philadelphia gave the Pennsylvania Central more hu-
vantages than New-York City gave to the New-HorK
central. The West-bOund traffic of the New-horK Ceh
traI was increasing every year. Sometimes the same
shipper got two or three kinds OF rates the
same day. The rates granted q man dtpehdeu
upon show strong bear " he was. Although ue
had had authority 70 make special rntes o
West-bond freight for two he had granted them
in some There was condition OF ahairs wheh II
was cheaper to ship goods TO Boston and there send
them TO Chicago over the NewYOrk Central than from
New-YOrk over the same line.
william Volckens, Of Fuuch, Edge Co., snip
brokers' testified that the export rates were now about
the same at Ncw-YOrk and Philadelphia, OF Baltimore
they were tr1e higher. Grain was usually exported
in ships. Baltimore had secured large gram
trade within ten years. NewYOrk houses had estab-
shed branches Baltimore to attend 10 the increasing
grain exporting trade Boston had recently obtained
large petroleum export trade. No grain elevator fees
were charged ship-owners AT Baltimore and Phiade-
phia and the Newly ork Central for six months had not
charged the steamship companies eevatOrfees although
he
owners paid So a thousand
C. Villas general eight agent Of the Erie gave the
committee a copy Of the companys contract with the
United states Rolling stock Company. Inc salaries
and other expenses Of the fast freight lines were NANNY
Maid by the Western roads. The schedule rates on
EastbOund freight not observed prior to June %
1879
David Bingham, OF Bingham Brothers, grain dealers,
said that lie always had special rates. He got the
through rate 10 hvernoo from Chicago, wlh peiins-
sion 10 break bulk IN New-IOrk. lie would offer GER
tain quantity Of goods TO the rsilroad, and would
offer pay certain sum. Inc ranrOai
could accept the rate or not, as IT pleased.
II was agreed that me goods shouid Ia a1 ps
moro and Philadelphia IL cost u cents bushel to the
owner of the grain TO pass gram through me elevators
No such charge was made III 70 the owners OF
steamships. although they were charged for trimming
the vessel lie now Sent mhe-Iets ol nj gI1n ii6
was the cheapest route now TO England He could have
grain put III a vessel cents cheaper hundred at
New-York than at Philadelphia. Usually the rates by
ships to Europe from Baltimore and PnliadeiEhla were
higher than from New-IorB, owing TO Tie dlihcuIW Oh
getting up the rivers. AT present the rates were
cheaper at Baltimore, owing to the accumulation OF
gram AT OLheI pOlts
JOSIAH Lombard. refner OF petroleum, said that
his firm placed at a dSadvantage by
the railroads. compared with the Stand
ard OH Company. railroads had
refused to ship Oh for tue witness at all The Eiie books
would show that not than carloads Of Oil bad
come over road for other shippers than the stand
dard Oil Company In 1878 the witness and Mr. OMEN
tired get 100 carloads OF OIL over the Erie MI Was
told the witness that he could not have any cars untll
the Standard OH Company had got through with them,
and the 100 carloads remained In Western Newly ork
for months
Mr.. steme-Did you ever ask the New-York Centralto
give you low rates
Mr. Lombard-AbOut a year ago Mr.. Vanderbilt asked
road was chipping ny oil over ana SAID over
the PENNSYLVANIA couldn't get carried over his
road He said that couldn't be and that must come
and him when my contract with the Pennsy lvana
expired did TO him. and lie referred me to Mir.
Ruter, who told me they had no oil to spare and
referred me back Mr.. Wander bt lie In turn sent
back Mr. Rutter and he finally told me he would send
for but he never did since May 1873 we have not
been able to get any oil shipped the Erie or New
York Central Railroads.
William III. McIlnaneY. foreign freight agent OF the
NewYOrk Central and Merchants Dispatch Transporta-
ton Company said that all men who bought grain IN
and shipped through 10 Europe could have had
the same rates as Bingham Brothers Lad.