The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-18
why the Traffic of Indianapolis Roads Ha
Decreased.


Statistics, recently published, showing the
marked decrease in eastlbound tonnage out of
indianapolis, from year to year Of late, is excit
ingcomment by the press, and is attracting the at
tentiono Of business mel, and operfectly has q Me-
ridian-strect merchant covered the situation and
shown the cause of this falling off in business,
that we gladly give space to his opinion Of the
matter The Meridian merchant says: 1T is
claimed by the managers of the railroads run
ming east from indianapolis that the large fall
ing off in shipments from this point is charge
able to failure of crops, and circumstances be-
yond their control. Are they correctl I am
neither grain, -four nor lumber merchant and
have interest In rates TO the East except to see
our city placed on the same footing as oar com
petitors Gentlemen interested in those trades
claim that the trne reason OF the continued de-
cline is the discrimination made against Indian
apolis in favor of Cleveland, Toledo and other
eastern points; that the roads running into Indi-
annapolis from the West make more favor
able (proportionately) rates to these points Is
the competition so great at stations on our West
era roads, with lines running TO Chicago, that it
has become necessary to ignore Indanapolis2
learn that at almost every crossing point the
earnings are pooled, and that owing to the more
favorable rates from Chicago East large por
ton Of the grain tributary to Indianapolis has
been diverted. OF the west bound freight from
eastern cities, an article from the New York
Indicator appeared in the journal Aug 6.
in which the writer admitted the right
of shipper to dictate the route he desired.
Such being the case, why should there be so
many cases in which their wishes have been
disregarded? Ii is not claimed that diverted
shipments were made by error. The agents Of
the leading lines in this city could if they choose
give you many points about this matter They
have frequently assisted their patrons in tracing
shipments which have been diverted from their
own to other lines in order to even up the
tonnage allowed by the pool / take the ground
that the pooling system is productive of no good
results to either shipper or railroad companies.
To the former it is source of annoyance; to the
latter no increased revenue is perceptible taking
the published statement Of earningsfora authority
The claim made that by the formation Of pools
transp0rtatons has been expedited and
shippers given the advantage of
merchants who will join me in saying that for
services rendered by the fastfreight lines was
more satisfactory than at present 1t is posi-
BILE that better time is now mdde, but 1t Is pre-
eposterous to claim that the pooling system should
be credited therefor Better roads, improved
machinery and greater facilities for handling
freight are the causes which have enabled
quicker time to be made. The assertion that
the railroads are under no obligations to make
arrangements for the transportation of freight
thousands of miles beyond their termini and
that we are indebted to the pool for the facilities
now offered is equally nonsensiCal For years
previous to their establishment rates and cars
could be obtained TO the same points az now
reached or nearly sos'