The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-26
Complaints ofDry Goods Dealers.

NEW YORK, May 23.-Represent.
yves OF the dry goods trade in thi,
and other cities in the West appeared
to-day before the railroad commits
sion slttlng here. to support claims
naoe IN their petition to the com
MlssiOn. In which it is stated that the
existing classification of drv goeds
IN the western bound traffic of trunk
lines is unjust and injurious to the
business, and should be changed. lin
support of these charges it was urged
tnat the class of dry goods against
winch the present classification bears
most heavily are mainly cotton goods
OF coarser and cheaper quality. and il
Is expressly for that class of merchan-
disc re-classificatiOn was asked
The rate charged for transportation.
u was urged, was out of proportion to
the cost of transportation and out of
proportion to the value of the goods
carried. It was also stated that these
matters were first brought to the at
tentiOn of the executive COM
mittee of the trunk lines at
the suggestion of President Blan-
chard of the Erie Railroad. A petit
tion was presented to Fink signed by
nearly all the representatives of the
large cotton mills of Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connect
icut, Rhode Island, New York and
Pennsylvania, and nearly all the
representatives of the dry goods mer-
chants Of New York, Boston, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Chicago, st.
Louis, and other prominent cities.
In their petition it was represented
that classification of this kind of
merchandise was raised during the
war, because goods became SO valua-
BILE as to warrant it; that sheetings
worth from $4OO to $500 during the
war now sell for from SIS to $50 per
bale; that these goods as first class
are now subject to higher relative
charges on their value than any
other textile fabric, and are out of all
proportion to the staples of grocery
trade. The executive committee of
The Trunk lines, it was contended, met |
this proposition with absolute refusal
Upon what principles the companies
have established their classification
Of schedules OF dry goods, the repre-
were unable to under
stand. Special Commissioner A Albert |
Fink replied that it is necessary
to charge higher rates OH certain ar
icles in order that grain and other
Food products can be carried at rate
farmers to ship to the East
and to Europe. This discrimination
$ for the benefit of trade in general.
Ind the dry goods trade shares in the
BENEFITS. Individual consumers of
domestic dry goods would be bene-
tilted so little by the reduction
II freight rates on that class of
FOODS that the difference in the cost
would be inappreciable, while a re-
tuction would not benefit the trade
~ causing an increased demand for
heir goods. Silks and the higher
lass Of dry goods bear such relative
mall proportion in bulk and weight /.
o the amount Of dry goods of the {
over classes shipped that it would {
'e necessary to charge very high
ates on them to make up for the re-
luction on the latter. The discrimi-
lation must exist, he argued, be- 7
ween several classes Of articles, and :
ates on classes of articles cannot be :
established on the basis Of cost. AT !,
er further discussion Of the subject ,
he commission adjourned to June :
3th.. :,