Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-28
THE INCREASE IN FREIGHT
RATES.
The Recent action of the Railroad
Pool.

We published few days since an account
of the action of the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce in reference to the increased
freight rates adopted by the Southern Rail-
way and Steamship Association at their re-
cent meeting in New York, the new rates to
90 into effect next month. The agreement
is upon the basis OF a general advance of
from Is to 20 per cent. on cotton-the rate
being determined by the distance. 1t is
claimed that the increase will injure the
interests of the interior cities.
Messrs. Doughty, large cotton buyers in
Augusta, in an interview in the Chronicle,
express the following opinion as to the
effect these increased freights would have
upon Augusta:
They stated that under the new schedule,
rates on cotton from Augusta to New York
and Philadelphia were now 76 cents per 100
pounds, or an advance in the rate over last
years tariff equal to 81 cents per bale. cine
bale rate has been discontinued and charges
assessed per 100 pounds). The rate from
Augusta to Boston, Providence and Fall
River is 90 cents per 100 pounds, or an ad,
vance of SO cents bale. "Now," continued
these gentlemen. "the rate from Augusta TO
Savannah, Port Royal, Charleston and VIII
mington on cotton is twenty-seven cents
per one hundred pounds, or the same as
last year, while to Norfolk and Richmond 1t
is thirty-eight cents per one hundred
hounds. also about the same. Now these
rates do great Injustice to Eastern shippers.
The strength Of the cotton market In Au-
gusta and Iother inland towns lies In the
BUYERS who operate for Eastern spinners and
Eastern shippers. Augustus business in
this way is very heavy, and the market has
| been strengthened and business increased
| through these influences. But see now this
schedule works. Freights on Eastern ship
| pers have been increased, Eastern buyers
| cannot nav so much for cotton and this will
1 damage our market in two ways: first, 1t
will give the foreign exporter who buys cot
/ ton here for direct shipment abroad the ad-
/ vantege-since freights to Savannah,
Charleston, Port Royal and the ports remain
the same-and he will be able to give
| higher prices for cotton than other buyers.
| He will virtually control our inland mar
kets. Second, country people will ship cot
ton to Savannah and Charleston, or direct
to the ports, because these markets may be
able to do better by them than we can"
Mr.. H. s. Waltz Agent OF the Southern
| Railway and Steamship Association at Au-
| gusta, said there had been an advance in
| freight rates all over the country, affecting
the North as well as the South. He pre-
sumed IL was caused by the fact that last
years rates, on account of freight war,
had been unusually low, and that the rail
roads had agreed among themselves to
abandon disastrous conflict, and return to
paving figures. Railroads, ike every kind
of business, were managed to make money,
and such advances in freight were frequently
| unavoidable, If unsatisfactory to shippers.
He did not think, however, that Eastern
| shippers would suffer, since ocean freights
| for foreign shipments must necessarily be
increased. Ships IN the commercial carry
ing trade were scarce this year on account
of the large force engaged in military trans
fer to the East. This would probably force
up foreign rates and make the scale more
equal.
A nesting OF the Augusta Cotton Ex-
change will shortly be called to take some
| action In the matter.