Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-27


Touching your third protest, am obliged to say
that the policy of making Sacramento, San Jose,
Marysvile Los Angeles, etc, through points, Is syu.
chronous with the opening for through business Of
the Central and Southern Pacific roads respectively.
The customs of nearly fourteen years, the adjust
ment of the business methods OF large part OF the
railroad company's clientsge and the regulation OF
its Interchange of traffic with other railroads, have
so established that policy that, laying aside alto
gether questions of law and public considerations
whsh must govern and influence a common carrier,
it does not seem possible to meet your views in this
particular.
Again, you seem to have wholly overlooked the
consideration that all the points treated as ter
minals, common with San Francisco, c0mpeti-
tive in the same sense and TO almost the same de-
gree as San Francisco. Each point can be reached
from the Bay of San Francisco without touching
this companys lines, and at cost Tor freight which
is merely nominal hence, it may be said that these
towns are practically as independent Of this COM
pany as is San Francisco, and, as mater Of bust
ness, can demand and enforce the same treatment
with respect to rates to and from eastern points.
Further, the members OF your association
not be ignorant of the tendency of public opinion,
as indicated by the State constitutional provision,
that rates for like quantities and classes OF goods in
the same direction shall not be more for less than
for greater distance, such measures the Rea-
gan bill, which once passed the House OF Repre-
sentatives, and is now-and has been for several
sessions-before Congress- and that which the press
dispatches say member OF Congress from CalliOr-
MIA proposes to introduce for the purpose Of regu
lating Interstate commerce. 1t is evidently to-
ward the adjustment of the determinations freed
by competition upon carriers, in favor OF such
places as the California terminals and unless
checked by the active influence OF commercial ecu
tiers, which their trade supremacy to the opera
ton of the law of competition, together with the
efforts of carriers to limit their competitors TO the
strictly competitive territory, is likely to crystalline
into laws which will deprive the carriers of the right
to make any dscriminative rates whatever. The ef-
feet of such law would be to place every point
nearer the Eastern terminals OF this cOmpanys
roads upon the basis OF San Francisco
1t is evident that the communities which you
would have deprive of privileges which they have
enjoyed for, in some cases, nearly score OF years.
would not acquiesce, nor could they be made to
that there was Justice, equity business fairness
the proceeding. They would never cease 10 agitate
the question, and would inaugurate measures OF re-
prsai which you could IN no degree compensate nor
the carriers withstand.
can hardly conceive that this suggestion on your
part is the result of reflection has been discussed
among yourselves with respect to its justice from
shippers standpoint, or its eNpediency from the
OF the carrier
| cannot agree with you in the assertion that the
policy Of making these points terminals is work
ing great injury to the city of San Francisco In
my opinion, these inland cities are, in large de-
gree, tributary to San Francisco and must ever
tinue to be, from influences which this company
cannot control. l further believe that this citys
growth and prosperity depends, in large measure,
upon the growth and prosperity OF these inland
Cities which, in turn, influence and promote the
growth o. outlying towns and villages, which, in
every State and country are the sure signs OF sta
BILE and prosperous producing class. Sacramentos
growth aud influence as a trade center can be no
ininica to the true interests OF this city than
has that Of Chicago threatened those of New York
Without Chicago and the great interior cities Of the
Eastern States New York CITY would not be the
it is, and nothing could be more disas
to San Francisco than the decay of these very
interior cities whose natural advantages you would
% fbn s+I
-ages of your owp.
To your fourth suggestion | would respectfully |
Say that from experience, we know it to be imprac
-icable. Even when differential rates made
simply between carload lots and smaller quantities.
il is the practice OF two more shippers to combine
to get the benefit OF the lower rate Tor the larger
and they do it in such way that the
rier cannot always or Often detect OF prevent it,
OF this sort would be the rule il the
Inference in rate based on annual shipment
If no matter how large quantity. Yet, again, it |
strikes that if the shipper OF 1000 tons per an
lum is entitled TO a lower rate than the shipper of
100 tons the scale should be extended, and the diff
erentIals made for LOCO, 2000 5000, 1000 5000,
900 tons, and so on, respectively, giving to the
shipper Of each quantity an advantage over the |
leXt grade.
IL is needless to say at you could not agree |
.mong yourselves upon such a schedule, and if you |
ould, the smaller shipper would very soon have TO |
lose out his business. II this is true, how can we
atisfy the shippers Of less than LOCO tons Many
Hcl shippers can anu nave dNdIteu themselves OF |
he water routes in competition with the rail line.
heir traffic ,s desired by the railroads. and cannot
e secured except by the competing rates.
Again. the stocks of each dealer vary TO con-
iderable degree in the quantity Of particular ar
icles handled. Many dealers whose gross tonnage
) less may carry handle very much more OF a
arcular article than others, and if the rate is to
airy with the quantity handled, the rule should APP
ly to the article, and not to the gross amount Of
ii goods handled. This feature would be INSOFAR |
BILE from the plan you propose, and would, so far |
5 transportation rates have to do with the organ
,ation, disntegratG our association before the
raj contracts could be written up
Moreover, your plan involves the obnoxious feat
re of rebates obnoxious to you well TO the
arrier. 1t was once tried and abandoned, because
the protest Of many OF your members and the OBJ
sctOns of our connections
IL is obnoxious ia another sense, because it puts
ne carriers squarely upon the ground Of demand
" the patronage Of portion OF The community
pom i'm possible terms and would evince determine
on discriminate againstthe smaller shipper and to
1row business in the hands Of a few large mer-
lants, who, perhaps had just small beginnings,
nd could never have reached their present position
/ trade, had they to contend against policy such
; YOU would have US inaugurate.
Again, as it strikes me that your demands are
holly in the interest OF the jobDing trade Of San
rancsco in total disregard Of the interests Of other
which, for the occasion, We may say,
fer competition for the trade you seek, and, heed
IS OF the interests OF the carrier in its relations to
id communities, the absence Of any proposal Of a
,muensatne return TO the carrier for all that YOU
* at his hands, is very conspicuous. 1t will hardly
credited by any one familiar with your respective
EQUATIONS for prudence and business sagacty that
1u have been Influenced by any other than strictly
usiness considerations in your patronage OF the
,ilroad company, while its officers and agents are
een, sensible Of the fact that such Of your number
J have contracted for the lowest rates, have only
cen induced to do so by the guaranty Of terms which
1T YOU scarcely any alternative where self-interest
as permitted to govern your choice. Your eXclu- ,
We patronage was solicited for the arail lines 1t
lev be fairly asserted that you dictated the terms
pom which you would give it. 1t cannot be assumed
iat YOU did not exact all that was necessary to |
lace your goods al.-rai in this markes at as small |
average CO st as you would have been subjected to
ithout a "rail-coutract." The railroad companies
ave faithfully performed their part If the contract
seems to me YOU could not reasonably ask more,
II h " could you expect US to concede moref
To your fifth suggestion, that your rEcommenda-
ans if adopted, will work tor the best interest Of
ie city anG State at large, | am sorry to have to
" that you have not so impressed me, and
iOud hesitate to 20 before any considerable num-
sr of the companys patrons with a proposition
nbracng your suggestions to ask their approval.
Stability oi rates, and fixed and definite pohcy
pom tine part of carriers, is Of great value TO the
iipper: in fact, Is Of more importance than the
Iestion whether the rate shall be high or low |
4. convinced that very few if any, OF the individual
TENDERS of the firms signing your munlcptlon-
nd Others since received, Of the same nature-have
lrefully reflected upon the prObabe-to me almost
rJalu-CueCL OF the Suggestions putl GU W lvui O
is own trade or his neighbours, or upon the general
-ade OF the state.
The contract plan has been in force for a num-
Of years II has steadily grown in favor, as evil
enced by the fact that each year has increased the
ST OF contractors, always bringing to the support
the plan some from among those who, at inst
ere doubtful Of and unfriendly to it. 1t is not too
iuch TO say that the trade Of the East with Califor
ia has been regulated by it, and the business
lethods of majority of our merchants have been
busted to it. 4 change, now, could not be made
thout inconvenience, criticism, collision OF inter
SITS between merchants and general commercial
isturbance. The company represent is not pre-
AIRED for it, nor do | think the merchants can al
)rd it.
AS stated in the beginning, l have preferred to
eply to your communication rather that to meet
nd discuss the matter with you personally If, |
owever il your judgment, the subject will bear
iscuss5n, shall be most happy 10 meet repre-
autative from e1ch of the firms at my Office on any
ay YOU NAV appoint, between the hours Of 10 a. NJ.
ad u N. Very respec fully,
A y TOWNE. General Manager.