The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-08-18
New ORLEANS,
Aug. 4, lS8O.}

)any I've represented at the Convex
.ion called to meet in your Town On
The 10Th. A meeting Of our stock
holders will be held here to-day to
vote on the question Of disso'ving
The Company. 1t is probable that
some of our members will not arrive
in the city in time to take part in tue
proceedings, and if so the meeting
will adjourn over till Monday. Have
no idea what the result of our meet
ing will he, bnt the outlook now is
that it will be put in liquidation
From reading the call for the Alex
andria Convention, | judge that we
will he charged with not having act
ed in good faith in carrying out the
agreements entered into at the Con
vention in last July; in fact, 1 know
that such charges are already made.
Our reply, were we present, would be
that we agreed to carry freIghts dur
ing such time from July of last year
TO July of this, as our boats could
make weekly trips, at the rate OF
1880 and that we have done so. we
would also say that the people,
through their delegates in the Con-
vention, agreed and bound them
selves to give US all Of their business
at the rates specified, no matter
whether other boats offered a less
rate or not. We would show that
whilst our par. of the agreement has
been faithfully adhered, that that OF
the other side has not. we would
show that when opposition boats
have put up for Red River and named
a less rate, that we were either tore
ed to accept the reduced rates or
loose the business.
Shippers here claiming that in the
absence of instructions from their
customers they were bound to ship
at the lowest going rates, in addition
to which we find that when parties
were here buying and attending to
shipments in person, they always ex-
ac>ed with one single exception, the
lowest rate obtainable. With the one
exception referred to, we have never
heard that any one for whom we have
carried freight at less than the card
rates of 1880, has said 81 have agreed
to pay you the card of 1880 on ali
my freight and will do SO notwith'
standing the fact that bill ladlng
names less rate 1t is poor rule
that wont work both ways, and it is
also a poor contract that holds but
one side fast. Last month, july
we advanced rates to the card Of '73,
the period for which We had contrac-
ted having expired. The river from
Grand Ecore up had but q feet on
the bars; there was but six feet on
the falls, the water was falling fast,
aud it looked as if low water would
be on hand at once, as with but a
to G feet in the river, and falling six
inches per day, it takes but q short
time to bring troublesome naviga-
tion. We spent several hundred
dollars for lines to pull over the
Falls, and the Silver City had to use
them. 1t so happened that ina few
DAYS after the advance in rates, the
river came to stand and in about
Two weeks we had o rise, when we a,
once reduced rates to card OF 1881
again.
+ 1t has been our aim to give TIKI
lowest possible rates that we cout
live at, and we have done So Elk
penses of running boats this season
have gone up largely, in consequence
2. of which we have made no profits
i absolutely none. We carried out TIL
bulk of your cotton crop this season
in low water; we gave you the hes
> low water oeryice the river ever had
: we got your cotton on the market 70
e the high prices ruling early in tn
season; we did this at positive los
}, to ourselves, out your people realize
many thousands of dollars by il
y Since high water came we have Cal
q ried a great deal more freight at les
l. than the card ESQ than at rate
e above that card. The average
largely against US, and if it be insis
ed that all freights carried durin
. high water must be on the basis {
e the 80 card we will gladly agree
% it. We have never known, unit
n reading the call for the Convention
that public notice was expected
be given before change in rat'
was made, none certainly has ev'
ID been exacted before rates went dow
ID and VIC have never heard that 10
ID rates were objected to on tn
:. account.
We are not arraigning the peopl
s. or any portion Of them, in this f
shortcomings, although it mig
r. easily be established that some fe
no who are the most active in denou
:, cling us, have axes of their own
~ grind; we are simply defending OF
at selves against charges broug
ly against us, and showing, as '
a think, that there are two sides to tn
as to all other questions. 1t is o
desire, whether we continue to a
as the patronage of your people as
Oh Company or individuals, to be ful
he understood. Justice and fair de
-. ing is all we ask. We will be gre!
VI ly disappointed if the great MAORI
ng of the people of the Red River v
he ley will consent to anything ell
Id. Yours truly,