The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-15
Will the Fast-Freight Lines Go?


For years past whenever east bound rates
have become demoralized the blame has always
been placed upon the soliciting freight agents,
yet all who are posted in the matter we'll know
that no line agent ever cut rates unless he had
authority so to do from much the superior
officer, and the journal has insisted that this
was a poor excuse for reducing the number of
fast-freight lines or-throwing them off the road
entirely. The effort to establish clearing
house, however, is bringing to the surface the
real objection to fastfreight lines The Stock
holder Of the 18th, grasps the situation as fol-
lows: 1T seems that the fastfreight lines, the
nomenclature of which have absorbed about all
the primary colors and the leading points of the
compass, are an obstruction in the way of adopt
| ing the Clearinghouse system that has so long
been talked OF among the managers of the trunk
line roads. These fast-freight and transporta-
ton lines are sort of ring within a circle
composed chiefly of railway officials and leading
shippers, and are said to be highly profitable to
the owners. They are believed to be an in
genious device for diverting the net
earnings of railroads to the pocketsof the stock
holders of these various transportation lines
The service they are supposed to perform could
no doubt be equally as well accomplished by the
several railroad companies through their own
paid agencies, and a large sum each year be thus
saved TO their stockholders From the intimate
relations these freight lines sustain toward the
officials in many of the railroad companies it
will be work of difficulty to abate them and
restore the traffic to the road direct. In Eng
land the railway clearing house system for
maintaining rates and settling balances between
connecting aud competing roads has been in ope-
ration for more than a quarter of a century, and
Its operations have proved to be practicable and
satisfactory This method of settlement be-
tween the railroads was adopted there before
fast-freight lines were devised and its adoption
was comparatively simple and easy To adapt
the system to our roads, and successfully pacify
the owners of fast-freight lines, will be an un-
dertakng hedged about with difficulties"
Its Future Promises Well for indianapolis.
The Indianapolis Joint Rate Committee hold
their first real business meeting to-day. and the
prospects are that great good is to come out Of
this association for the business interests of this
city. At the preliminary meeting, when the or
ganization came into existence, the following
resolutions, which show the character of the as
ISOLATION, were passed:
Resolved That this organization be known as the
Indianapolis Joint Rate Committee, and that the OBJ
ject of this committee is to fix and maintain uniform
rates from indianapolis to competitive points EN-,
braced in joint tariff No. ,, dated Jan. L. 1884 and
to other points south of the Ohio river.
Resolved That this committee shall assemble on
the first and third Tuesdays of each mouth, and at
other times at the request of the chairman or of any
member of this committee
Resolved That all special rates or arrangements
conflicting with the established rates tariffs agreed
upon by this committee shall be furnished by the sec
rotary to the commissioner of the Chicago and Ohio
river pool and TO each representative of roads repre-
sented in this committee outside of the pool before be-
ing issued except that any rates to or from points
outside of the jurisdiction of the Chicago and Ohio
river pool competitive Herewith, need not be
ported to the commissioner, but such rates shall be
promulg gated by the secretary of the committee"
J. A. Perkins is permanent chairman r. G.
Walker, secretary, and the membership EN-
braces the local agents of all roads centering
here.