Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-30
niIly posT.INTEIllcENCER.


ofn facluc hAifoeu NoWp7Ay
nouncinQ tha. wheat from all points
moon its line east Of Wailuss VIII De
transported to Duluth, Minneapolis or
81. Paul at g per ton. Is exciting con-
adorable comment. BY the San Fran
cisco Chronicle il 10 considered as a d.
rect blow at Portland's trade. TIE Ore
CONAN thinks the action cornmendable
because IL affords wheat growers IN r ist-
arm Oregon and Washington choice
of markets, bat that IL Will not AFFORD
much present relief because interior
dealers have not Jet established rela-
tIoue with Z ,stsrn commission houses.
and therefore eannot accommodate
farmers, who must have their money
soon after selling their wheat. !. Is
not TO be doubted that diversion OF
the wheat product from Its old estab-
lished route, via Portland 10 Europe,
will be of great injury TO that city,
which has always sto ID as toll-Raiherer
upoR tbs product of the interior. Ihe
regular or usual charter rates on wheat
from Portland to Liverpool have been
about $i5 per ton, aud rates have betu
made within the past three years 40 high
~ S25 per ton. The Oregon Railway
and Navigation Com , my has been ask
ing and receiving IS per ton frem Wal
lula 70 Portland. As the rate from Do
10th 10 Liverpool Is but $7.6l per ton IT
IL plain that a saving OF over = per
ton will be made TO the producer by
shipping east ward instead Of westward.
IL liz alleged that this rate-$s per ton
will not be remunerative TO the North
err Paoifc5 that It cannot haul wheat
1000 miles at "a cents per bushel except
at @ loss. II this be true, as IL probn'
bic, there must be some other motive
than accommodation 20 wheat growers
for thus cutting rates. Two suggestions
present themselves. The first is that
the action of the Northern Pacific 10
an attempt TO put the screws on the D.
Il. d N. Co. pending adjustment Of the
proposed lease Of that company's rail-
road and other property, by divertInR
from the road on the Columbia river Q
very large and lucrative portion Of lie
business. Il 10 plain enough that IL tie
surplus wheat crop goes TO Portland
the q. X. d N. Co. can make rates and
will get the sole benefit. II 10 equally
apparent that IL IL goes East from Wal
Lula that company will realize no bene-
ht whatever. The Northern Pacific 10
anxious to obtain control Of the o. X.
IN. Co.'S railroad. A high rental 10 do
manded. What more natural than that
the Northern Pacific should. by demon
strating Its ability 3, lessen the earn
ings Of the road u desires to lease, en-
deavor 10 compel reduction Of the
rate demanded as rental. When con-
ciliatory measures fail, sometimes a
vigorous squeeze will bring recaloi,rant
people TO desired agreement.
There 10 another view OF the case
which Ia deserving Of thought. II Ia a
we'll known fact that the southern Pa.
ciho Railroad was constructed for the
svowed purpose Of carrying the wheat
crop of California TO Galveston, to be
shipped thence for Liverpool. Indeed,
during the construction Of thai road Il,
was boast Of its owners that when
completed IL would drive from she port
Of San Francisco every ship engaged in
the wheat carrying trade. The threat
has not yet bean carried GU. The OBJ
loot was plain. Vessels engaged In
wheat carriage come from Easiern and
European ports laden with freight
which they can bring at rates that
would DO ruinous TO railroads. We're IL
possible 10 take from them the trans.
portasion Of Cslifornia's wheat. they
could not do this. for they would have
no return cargocs- 10 was the policy
and purpose Of the Central Pacific
magnates who built the Southern to
drive these ships from the Pacific trace.
This once accomplished. the farmers
and merchants of California would be
entirely al their mercy. II was we'll.
conceived scheme. although thus far
unsuccessful. 10 is TO the interest of
the Northern Pacific 10 have M little
competition as possible. The grain
ships which LOAF at Portland with
wheat are 30 some extent competitors In
the carrying trade. They bring heavy
articles, in the carriage Of which the
time Of transit Ia not Of material con
sequence. wers they not able TO at
grain chrrters they would not come, for
they cannot afford 10 return empty, and
the grain crop 10 their dependence fos
return careoes. Were they out OF the
way, the railroad would carry all
freights FROM the East aud all wheat
from the West az It's own rates. Is the
Northern Pacific about TO follow the
example Get by its southern prototypes
In this ~ u has thns far done in ali
other transportation mas,ersf
Why should this Discrimination be
made against Portlsnds That city has
been especially Mandatory Of the Nor, b.
srn Pacahc. II has not advocated for,
FIXTURE Of unearnea lands. Ii has no,
criticised the nen-ssxpsying prociivi
sses OF that corporation. ca she con.
eary, is Journals have INDUCED In fro
cosns hings At those Of this Territory
which have reeelied against the policy
and claims Of that company. No word
OF condemnation has appeared in the
leading Portland dailies Of the inioui.
sous Discrimination asainss interior
pcints enforced In its ssris charres
Surely Portland deserves better srxa,.
msnA
A word locally. IL has been The dar
ling dream Of thu cities on PUGET Sound
that railroad over tie Cascade Moan.
sains. owned and operated hy the North.
cru Pacific. woald be Of incslsal.h,s
benefit Especially has this been trn.
OF Seattle and Tacoma. II Ia. bean
sasd that upon the complexion Of The
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