Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-08
RAILROAD RATES.
Assistant Freight-Agent Davant I'm An
g swer TO Traveller,
Not Discriminate Against by
the Charleston Road,

To the Editors of the Appeal:
L desire to correct the statements made in
the ioiioWing article, which first appeared in
the Ledger and was afterWard introduced,
with editorial comment, in your paper. As
1 have charge of the rates on The only direct
road to North Alabama, there is no doubt
but that am the freight agent" referred to.
If we had a freight agent that took as much in
terest IN Memphis and her welfare as he does in
Memphis could and would do a large business in
North Alabama this fall; but giving the above
Memphis out. Freights from New York to Hunts
vile are ~forty-dve cents, and from Memphis forty
five and fifty cents. Nashville ships a carload of
salt 10 Huntsville for s32. and the Nashville office
s shfns a. re 80 ana a5SSASS sT = rsbatS OF go. Memphis
is a very cold and unsatisfactory reply. If the
nemphis merchants cannot get better rates of
agents off of the road. This way of moving
freight 1000 miles cheaper than they will 100
by the people. It viii only be a question Of time
when the cities of the South will dry up, and New
York, Cincinnati and Chicago will be known as
our travelling points If our people do not rise ia
mass.
Unfortunately for "Traveler," in his igno-
rance of the subject, he ignores the glitter
ing generalities" which usually characterize
the productions of most writers on the SUBJ
ject, and undertakes to point out the dis
ordinations which are to ruin the trade of
Memphis. l will show how completely he
distorted the facts. "Traveler" first states
that the rate from New York TO North Ala
bama Che evidently has Huntsville in his
mind's-eye) is forty-ive cents, while the rate
from Memphis is forty-fve and fifty cents.
Now, the facts are II speak from the t~arifs)
that the highest class rate from New York is
eighty-seyen cents, and the lowest fifty cents.
The highest class rate from Memphis TO
Huntsville is fifty-fve cents, and the lowest
thirty cents. On the highest class rate from
New York this road gets for its ninety-seven-
mile haul from Chattanooga to Huntsville
forty-elght cents, and the lowest close rate
twenty-four cents. So much for the rates
from New York. BY agreement between the
railroads the same total rates are made from
Memphis and Nashville to Huntsville. The
distance from Memphis TO Huntsville is 2I3
miles, and from Nashville to Huntsville l48
miles-sixty-fve miles in favor of Nashville.
Now, ii the rates were made with regard to
distauce-the rule suggested by Traveller
the rates from Memphis would be more than
thirty per cent. higher than the rates
from Nashville. l think / am safe
in saying that the merchants OF Memphis
prefer to have the rates stand as they
are made by the railroad. The rate on salt
from Memphis and Nashville to Huntsville |
is SAP per car, and not S32 as "Traveler"
puts it. This goes to show his knowledge of ]
and familiarity with the tariff. A carload /
OF salt going from Nashville to Huntsville l
only pays this road S2l 60, while the same
from Memphis pays $40. No sane
man will charge me with discriminating in
of Nashville under these circum-
stances. If, as he says, the Nashville ship
per gets back a rebate of SO, it is paid by |
he Nashville roads in violation OF their
agreement with the road to maintain the |
'ame rate as from Memphis, and he ought,
N the interest of the trade of Memphis, TO |
give me The facts in order that the trouble
nay be stopped or the rates reduced from
Memphis. | nave the agreement Of the rep
OF the Nashville roads to main
ain the rate, and without proof to the con-
rary, believe they are doing so. j certainly
'annot act on the charge MADE by an snory-
nous writer (whose statements / have
Llready shown are wide of the mark) that
he rate is not being maintained. III he has
he proof" as he should have to make the
tatemen I will be glad to have it. The
COMPLAINTS made by Traveller" are SO un-
easonable and ridiculous that / would nave
aid no attention to them had you not seen
t to vouch for their correctness by accept
ng and quoting them as proofs and argu-
nents sustaining your charges OF discrim-
nation in rates by railroads.
In criticising the management of rail-
pads it seems 10 me that it would only be
especially when reflections are made by
writers against our home rail-
pads, for you to make an investigation, and
getting at the facts, for they are always
eadily obtained, render judgment accord
Ugly. This simple Justice is all the rail-
pads ask. T.. s. DAyANr.
Assistant General Freight Agent, NJ. and C. R. R.
MEMPHIS, August q, 1882.