New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-08
RATES TO BE RESTORED.
ACTION OF THE RAILROAD PRESIDENTS.

TAKING THE NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM TO TASK
INTERIOR POOLS TO De ORGANIZED.
Commissioner Finks Office was crowded yes
teray by the presidents Of the trunk lines and their pn-
cipal Western connections attending the meeting called
to consider the freight rate situation. Jay Gould ap-
pearcd "a president OF the Wabash st. Louis ana
Pacific Railroad, and active in urging har-
mony. Hugh ]. Jewett presided as chairman
of the presidents committee. Other presidents attend
ing were George d. Roberts OF the Pennsylvania
Horace Porter of West Shore, John Newell Of the
Lake Shore H. L. Ledyard OF the Michigan Central, j.
Devereux, OF the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati ana
Indianapolis and w. X Vanderbilt, OF the Nickel Plate
Among other yce-Presldent Ii. j. Hayden represented
the EewYo Central Robert Garrett the Baltimore ana
Ohio, and Traffic Manager L. ]. Sergeant the Grand
Trunk Of Canada The Delaware, LackawanDa and
Western was represented by B. A. Hegemen, It's general
freight agent. Nearly all roads in the Joint Executive
Committee had representatives present
The result Of the conference was an agree
ment signed personally by the president, for tne
restoration and future OF the schedule rates
on both east and westbOund freight The result was ex-
pressed thus by prominent railroad man: "The sltua
ton had reached stage where every road knew tnat
rates had be restored everything would go 10 pot
The crisis which brought about the meeting was the
result OF the aggressive action taken by the western
and Southwestern connections OF the Newfork Central
In cutting rates. Tho charges lodged Win Cotn-
missioner Fink have Affected only tho Central
system. President Newell Of the Lake Shore admitted
November 30 last he had authorized the securing OF
business at cu rates and that that authority had not been
revoked until within few days except on one day he
defended his action the ground that his road was
merely recovering lost business and that to secure traffic
II was necessary meet the cuts which he believed MS
competitors were making The position taken by the
Erie was that for the last two months neither II nor us
Western connections had cut the rates, and
of-c, al vii vi
against the Erie system at the previous meeting In NO
vemer were applied now the New York Central must DO
held guilty This evidence the course Of u Ific from
Western points and the receipts at the seaboard which
had largely turned in favor Of the Central The result OF
the discussions the recognition OF tho necessity OF
avoiding an open OF rates and OF the resolution OF
each line promptly any irregularities oft COM
petitor Besides the resolution restoring rates 1t
was also resolved that tho pools between
places in the Western interior and the seabosrd
should be completed early possible. Where there
outside Of the pools already agreed upon te
committees those pools Instructed 10 complete
their organization percentages etc. within sixty
days. The subject of arranging the details Tor
proposed Clearing House. designed to enect all settle
ments through traffic between connecting railroads
was referred TO tho Trunk Line Executive Committee
Tie protested object OF this measure is to reduce the num-
Der OF freight lines running the pool roads to
whose agents much OF the decentralization OF rates Is as
The matter OF the interior pools has been compllca-
ted At many OF the important western places tere
and az consequence In meeting the c1mpei0n OF these
lines the connections OF the trunk nes have become In
volyed in quarrels among themselves Inc cutting or
rates from these places has also caused cutting from
other points where business affected by the cutting
of rates from point. of them claimed now how
ever that II the agreements OF yesterday are carried OUT III
goood faith there will be little difficulty In competing the
nterior noO as at none of these places is there line
which in reaching the seabOar has not to either the
trunk lines or their eastern connections that were repre-
eented 8t the meeting. .
The meeting rcsfrmed the existing pool agreements In
which il ia provided freight carried at cut rates
shall turned into the pools at tariff rates end divided
upon that basis Friends of the Erie said yesterday tha
this agreement would work In favor Of that road as on
previous occasions Last year when this rule was applied
the offending roads numerous that the settlement
amounted 20 little punishment for the offender
The meeting adjourned without day.