, 1881-11-20
THE RAILROADS.
East-Bound Freight Statement
for the Past Week.
Collapse OF the Wilmington Bridge
on the Alton.
Serious Damage Inflicted on Many Of the
Roads by the Heavy Rains.

No Change In the Eastern Freight War
a Reduction In Provision Nate.
Probable.
No change occurred In tho eastern freight
war during the past week. The situation re-
mltns about the same as at tho end Of the pre-
vious week. Neither was thero Il change In rates
nor an increase tn tho yo'lme Of 'cast-boucu
shipments. All the fiucs, including those owned
by Vanderbilt, charge an open ru1c OF 20 cents
OH grim from Chicago to New York, and - cents
on provisions but it is generally understood that
certain shippers can get lower xures 1t Is known
that the Vandcrbflt lines have been TAX Ing provi
sions quite freely from some Of the large ship
pers 1T 70 ceut3 per 100 pounds. and tho heavy
grain shipments by the two Vanderbilt roads
during tho past week would Indicate that the
grain rites hive also been cut. The fnct is that
really there are no regular freight rates. and the
roads take freight ut the best rates they cnu
get. The principal competition Is Oh provisions,
which is about the only article which Eocs for
ward There Is no Eastern or European
demand for ErntI,, and shinment5 would hot
Increase lnncn II tho rates were ever 50
low There isu movement on foot among the
auti- anAerbtlt rOAd5 to put provisions into
eighth cuSs, the same us grain. wh fch would re-
dllce the provision rates i've cclts, making
thc1n ~ cents per lO0 pounds, Cnic.go to New
York. They mean to DO this because the fun-
derh!lt ruAds, it Is claimed, have hUen taking
provisions III this rate nli along, and consc-
Navigation is now virtually at an end. and
with this competition ont of the way rail
shipments East should largely increase But
inst cad ct an increase there bus been decrease
during tho pnst t.vU weeks, And there nre no
prospects that business will sUb;l improve. It is
this scarcIty Ut business more thnn nElyt hing else
that keeps up tho present .s,7 and prevents tho
ronds from establishing and maintaining paying
rates. Ii there wus plenty Of business, rates
would have been restored before now. bur, ~ 1t
IS. the railroads will have, 10 take business
Re Recp such iher caxs e e hcp VIII hey G
afford to do. The prospects for higher and
steadler rntcs dnr.nE tho winter are tllereturc
rathee u;u slim md the keihood ! Is that .he war
lore the contest is over several Of the weaker
lines will tmf themselves in the ditch or in the
hands an oi their stronger couputitors.
TIE total shipments Of grain. thur, and pro-
visions BY the six Eastern lines from this city
for the week ending New. ~ amount
"a to +o,W} tons, agu1nsr 1885 tons
week OF us TINS. I5uth this und lust week tho
Lake shore s. Michigan southern carried atuGe
third of the total shipments from this city,
and this road and the Michigan Ce:,tru together
which Is positive pru0f ttut the Vanderbilt roMds
mr.: not maintaining the cont tariff On provi5-
IONS as they are trying t. make the public be-
licye. These rates are five cents hi+,ner than |
the regular tartf rates Of thotr competitors, and
no one will suppose forn Innu1cnt that shippers !!
will pay tho Vanderbilt roals five cents per 100 |
nure thnn other cs. in order to thus testify to
teeir love and esteem fUr Vanderbilt. 1t has |
always been found that shippers will send their |
goods by those lines that give them the bcst j!
rites. no 1uattcr how s1uu!t weak those lines
may he. whether they like them or hot. 1t |
therefore, quite safo to assume that tho Wander
o!lt lines manaEcd to yet away with the bulk
3t east-bOu nd business pec:lll5c they wore lower
Tntes thAn their competitors
The following statement shows the amount OF
lour. grain, ahd provisions shipped by the vari-
'ns roads leading East from this city during