, 1880-05-23
THE RAILROADS.

EAST-BOUND FREIGHT BUSINESS,
The east-bound freight shipments by rail
are still on the decline. It was thought that
the shipments for the week ending May 15-
81, l65 tons-were about as light as they could
| possibly be, but those Of last week were
| still lighter, amounting only to 1854 tons,
and over 13,000 tons of this were carried b Y
the Plttsbur9, Fort Wayne & Chicago aud
| the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, leav-
Ing but 1000 tons for the Michigan Central,
Pan-Handle, and Baltimore d Ohio. Nearly
tho entire business done BY the latter two
roads was In provisions. The grain carried
by the Panhandle during the week amounted
to only 2S7 tons. and by the Baltimore & Ohio
a 20 out os i the Two ares were besaase e
they have so fur run ahead In their
| percentages that they allowed the business
to the other roads. which have run fur be-
hind. Last weeks business by the five
Eastern pool lines was tho liehtest done in
any one week for years, and tho managers
Of these roads are now convinced that there
will be no change for the better during this
summer unless there is another reduction in
meeting Of the "High JOINTS to be held in
New York tllis week. to bring about such a
reduction, but rs the trunk lines seem to be
determined to keep up the present rates it is
as the will of the trunk-line managers is ali
Joints.'' These lines eau well stand tie
present rates as they derive great
deal Of; Of business S. 11 tro'a A. the lakes at
this city. will be driven BY such policy to the
verge Of bankruptcy. The great difficulty
from which the Chicago Eastern roads are
suffering is that the rates Of all the roads in
the country are based on the rates from Chi
cag0. This arrangement is equitable
enough during. the winter months, when lake
navigation is closed. But during the SUM-
mer months the roads east from Chicago
have the lake routes for competitors, and rs
rates but: little of the business that comes
here during the summer. is shipped by
rail. Thus by compelling the Chicago roads
to maintain the all-rail east-bound rates,
they are virtually driyen from the business
has often been al argued that that }he The roads
from Chicago sholfld be allowed during the
navigation season to make such rates as
will enable them to, compete with the lake
the Jealousy Of the roads from other points
has already prevented the consu1nma ton of
such an arrangement It such all arrange
ment was made the. troubles regarding east
at a ton e rnS nes co f
up as high rates as they deemed proper and
continue to get their large percentage OH the
business at Buffalo and other Lake Erie
Ro5 + is pzHhaee edt that 1T tho next next meet
rangement will be made, us it will enable the |
pool lines from Chicago not only to wrest
a share of the business from the lakes, but |
also enable them to meet the rates made |
BY the Grand Trunk, which road, it is be- |
1ieyed, is no longer acting in harmony with
the pool lines. The business done by the |
Grand Trunk from this point is not reported |
to the Board of Trade, and is therefore not !
included in the regular weekly statement of |
shipments from this port. Thus, the other |
lines have no means of knowing what the |
Grand Trunk is doing. 1t is stated that,
while all the other Eastern roads were doing /
hardly any business lately, the Grand Trunk |
has been doing quite well. which creates the
belief that this road has been giving special
Inducements to shippers. Should it be
tariff rates, a break in the rates by other
roads from this point can hardly be avoided
The following statement will show the
amount OF business done by the various pool
q 1880: " - /