New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-01
R1ILROAD INTERESTS.
MERCHANTS AS RATE-MAKERS.

A CONFIDENCE AT COMMISSIONER FINK's OFFICE
THE NEW SCHEDULE TO co INTO EFFECT TO-
DAY
A conference was held at Commissioner AL
bert Frks office yesterday between the trunk line rail-
road Executive Commit ee and committee Of the Board
o; Trade and transportation the subject of the adj
In wes,bound freight rates which is to go into
effect to day Only two OF the five trunk lines were rep
resented Mr. Fink appearing for the NewYork Central
and r. Villas general freight agent for Vice President
Blanchard, Of tue New York, Lake Eric and Western
Railroad Company. The Merchants organization was
represented by William II. Wiley, A. b. Miller John F.
Henry, Charles s. Smith, T. B. Thurber, John H. Reed,
T. Farrelly and ]. J. White. The discussion OF west
bound rates took wide range and concerned many
issues the railroad question Mr. Fink was extremely
cordial to the merchants and urged them to visit his
Office frequently present their views and obtain needed
information.
When the meeting was calsd to order Mr.. Fink gave
brief description of the railroad organization He said
that the westbound freight for the last months
were no basis Of comparison with the increased cost Of
labor which only the merchants desired to
advanced sufficiently. The old rates, ranging from
rs TO 40 cents per pounds from first to fourth class
on the basis NewYork TO Chicago had been in effect
for five years from July 1877, during the OF
both open closed navigation The very fact that the
rates were preserved under waterroue competition
roof that they were reasonable Statistics showed that
the commerce NewYork showed gradual and steady
increase under the old tariff The recent low rates had
not increased business of NewYork the railroads
merely had taken business away from the canals. The
charge that the railroads wanted "to dry up" the Erie
Canal was disproved by their advancing rates.
Mr. smith sad that, speaking for the drygoods trade
he wanted complain of the injustice OF the class
ncatiOn than OF the rates as whole. IL was alb
surd make such difference as was made between the
charges on drygoOds and those sugar. The lucu
OF was inurious an advance OF 100 per cent
proposed by the roads, was never heard OF IN or
IinarV
stable rates all shippers to be treated alike:
Mr. Villas II Thought you were drygoods man We
want you in the railroad business"
Mr. Thurber urged tat the business interests OF the
city prospered better under 10 cent rate than under
rs cent rae The proposed advance Of rates had ex-
erted very depressing effect on the grocery business
Mr.. Thurber inyeighed at some length against the
of many Of fn the rsToads that to owl
Of special would be greatly reduced II the mcr-
iayors Mr. Villa. informed another merchant that the
rate on drygoods the whatever the quantity
shipped might be.
j. j. White then read long address the subject Of
easbound rates, the substance of which was that the
ROADS mace frequent dlscfllnauons III tnc cbdrSc5 Oh
Mr. nenry complained of the small that the drug
trade received for damages to shipments MI. Was
thought tnat this proved how well the roads dio their
business. Mr. Fink explained at length the methods Of
rates On tue OASIS Of what the rac Would bear Tue
raj roads OF The United states, he said were capitalized
al sos 900 mile. This far below the actual money
eXpcuded upon them. Roads whose stocks We're wa
tered" were bitterly denounced, but no mention ever
was made Of the bankrupt roads III which stockholders
had lost everything. Mr. Fink and Mr. Miller agreed as
to the inhaied capitalization of the Newlork, New
Haven and Hartford road. At this point Mo Farrely
urged the Justice Of the railroads allowing The preseut
low reigut rates goods whch mad been delay ed by
the fIelgnt-handers strike. Mr. Fink showed by stalls
ties that only per OF the business out OF New
York did the roads the highest rates; 54 per cent was
carried at the fOurth-cass Mr. Henry objected to
roads charging rug salts than sugar. In
reply rink said perhaps the for il
that tie men VINO used had rgnt get sick
Amid the general laughter aroused by TINS repdrtce
discussion driftcd bacA the strikes Mr. Fink said
chants should be supported No SET Of men should
be allowed to dictate wDat pay their employers snOud
give interfere with VINO wanted 20 work.
remarks raised dispute between Mr.. FINK and
SIR Villas aud the merchants as to whether or not any
intimidation prlotsei By the strikers 1t was
ended only by geera desire OF everybody TO adjourn,
but afterwafd mucn handshakng WAS done, aud Mr.
Fink said that Le would be most happy to meet the mer
chants conference frequently Inc advanced west
bound freight rates, however VIII take eHect Io-day