Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-22
INTERIOR TERMINAL POINTS AND SAN
FRANCISCO.

custom IN various interior sections, and
that inquiry as to the cause of this loss
develops the fact that it is to the pecuniary
advantage of the interior merchants to
buy at Marysville, Sacramento, Stockton,
Los Angeles, etc. This advantage, it de-
clares, arises out of the fact that the mer-
chant at Los Angeles, Marysville, Sacra
mento and Stockton can ship freight from
New York to these interior terminal points
on equal terms with the San Francisco
merchant to the obvious disadvantage of
the latter. In the case of Sacramento, it
adds, that in addition to the savings from
these two sources, there is also saving of
30 cents to IS cents per ton for carriage
between the stores and the railroad depot,
because goods are carried directly to the
stores in the cars. The Bulletin further
complains of local freights-that is to say,
a merchant at Grass Valley or Nevada City
in purchasing goods at Sacramento can buy
as cheaply at San Francisco and save the
freight between Sacramento and the Bay.
All these things are true, and the ques-
ton arises why should they not be? Why
should San Francisco have preference in
the rates OF Eastern freight over Sacra-
mento, Stockton or Los Angeles. In obedi-
euce to commercial law, if goods can be
purchased in Sacramento with less freight
tariff added, with less actual cost of trans
portation, with less actual cost of handling,
storage, carriage, or any other factor or
element which enters into the cost of dis
tributing articles of commerce, why should
the consumers be entitled to the advantage,
and why should not the merchant of Sacra-
mento enjoy the competitive advantages
belonging naturally to his locality?
Before the construction of overland lines
of transportation San Francisco was the
great entrepot for the commerce of Cali
fornia. 1t enjoyed the advantage of being
nearer by sea route to Liverpool. New
York and other commercial Centers. Had
a line of steamers or sailing vessels, con-
nected with line of river steamers plying
between San Francisco and Sacramento,
agreed to deliver goods at Sacramento at
ahe sames rates of delivery as charged to
San Francisco, the merchants of that city
would have complained loudly of the dis
elimination that carried freight greater
distance for the same or less rate. In
point of fact it does not cost as much to
transport carloads from through points at
the East to Sacramento as to San Fran
cisco, and if any discrimination in the
present arrangement exists, it is against
Sacramento, since goods are carried a
greater distance-to wit /: to San Fran
cisco-for the same rate they are laid down
at Sacramento.
The complaint OF the San Francisco
merchants brings into strong relief mat
t IT which, while well known to those hav-
ing opportunities Of observation, has posi-.
IDLY escaped public attention. We refer
to the fact that nearly or quite all the
complaints against the management of rail-
rad transportation lines have grown out
OF desire on the part of localities to have
determinations made in their favor and
a gainst competing points.
San Francisco would gladly to-day in.
augurate a railroad tariff that would de-
liver through freight at that point at rates
so low as to establish its supremacy as a
point for all parts of the Pa
cifc Coast She would demand as her
right the peypetuity of a commercial and
supremacy founded originally
upon her natural advantages as a principal
seaport of the commercial empire lying
west of the Rocky mountains. When the
OF this territory entered at the
G llden Gate San Francisco was natural
focal center and distributing point for the
great interior as far east as the natural d. J
vidiug line between the Atlantic and Pa
oifc Coast commerce. The Bulletin, voic.
ing the commercial interests of San Fran
cisco, enters complaint against levying a
forced contribution upon the commerce
carried by rail, and having natural distrib-
ating centers farther inland than San !
Francisco just as if the legitimate advan-
tsges OF Sacramento, Marysville, Stockton
ind Los Angeles should not inure to those
points or as if San Francisco possesses in
some way divine right to maintain its |
DID supremacy as a distributing center,
even though such maintenance involves the /
practice of gross injustice upon interior
terminal points
The Bulletin says that "when an in.
.erior merchant, who has been in the habit
If buying MS goods in San Francisco,
tops short OF that place, or buys only |
.pariugly, and for the sake of making up
,ssoIt ments, the San Francisco merchant
wants to know the reason, The answer
always comes in one of two forms, but the
difference is slight. 1t is State tolls and
ocsl freights, or State tolls, local freights
md carriage" 1t further says We do
not know whether the item of carriage ap-
plies to any other city than Sacramento,
out it probably Goes, for in these interior
;.ties the railroad manages to get as near
.he business centers as possible. " That is
% say, the Interior terminal points have
lad the good common sense to bring the
ar, storehouse and warehouse nearer to-
,ether than has been done in San Fran.
,isoo, and yet the Bulletin puts these whin-
ng complaints under the head of (" Dis
in charges"
In Sacramento the cars are run up to the
-ery doors of the principal wholesale es-
Adjustments and to the warehouses, be-
.suse Sacramento had the good common
ense to understand that these things con-
titutsd the chief superiority of railroad
,ver water transportation. But San