The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-04-14
OUR FREIGHTS.
The Determinations by the Consol-
idated Roads Against Portland.
A Conference Between the Boston &
Lowell and Portland & Ogdensburg.

-
LII is an open secret that for some time past
there has been good deal OF feeling among
our merchants to the effect that the consoli-
dalton of the Boston and Maine and the East
ern roads had resulted in Discrimination in
freights from and to the West as against Port
land, a discrimination that ought not to exist
and one that should be prevented If possible.
A reporter for the PRESS called upon a num-
Der of our leading merchants Saturday and
yesterday to get their views on this subject.
Some of the gentlemen did not care to see
their names in print but the result Of the con-
versation MAY be summed up as follows:
The two Boston roads formerly belonged to
the combination running the colored freight
lines. They withdrew from the combination.
Portland, up to that time, was a billing point
from the West at the same rates as Boston,
Providence, etc. After the withdrawal of the
Boston lines let US suppose that Portland
merchant ordered carload of flour from st.
Louis. After it reached Boston the Boston
roads put on an arbitrary rate of ten cents q
barrel as against Portland. The Portland
merchant, If he wished to ship freights South,
labored under disadvantage of ten cents as
against Boston. One merchant, shipping
freight Weat, is compelled by the arbitrary
rate to ship all his freight West via the Og-
densburg. The Boston roads claimed they had
to withdraw from the combination and charge
these rates or else they could not make any
profit. There was no money In the old rates
for them. Que merchant at the West, so a
pnrtlD md <oJ =
chandiss to be delivered to the Portland trader
at certain price. The charge, when the
goods we're received, was in excess of the
agreed price. Upon application to the freight
agent Of the Boston and Maine that gentleman
replied that the Western trader bad no right
to fix price farther East than Boston; that
his road made its own fgurea.
1t will be seen that this arbitrary rate of
ten cents ia serious matter for our -four deal
ers. Their other Western outlets ara the
Grand Trunk and the Ogdensburg, and the
latter road having become member of the
colored line combination has had large nnm-
ber of orders to fill. But the road, with its
Western links, from Portland to Syracuse, n.
Y, has been much cramped for transportation
facilities. Carloads of -four ordered last De-
cember, are the way. The business has
clogged the road. TO add to the complication
the Boston and Lowell has bought the YER
mont division OF the Ogdensburg, and, If SO
inclined, may leave the Portland merchants
only the Grand Trunk-the old, reliable Grand
Trunk-ior a Western outlet. But said one
merchant, isn't II more than likely that if the
Boston and Maine and the Boston and lowell
choose to advance rates for Portland mer-
chants. that the Grand Trunk will do the
same? Why should that read carry freights SO
much lover than the other reads?
1t is true that some of tbs merchants thought
that the Boston and Lowell instead of dis.
eliminating against Portland in favor OF Bos-
ton would be friendly as it would get large
trade West from this city and, through it,
from the whole State of Maine. On the other
hand other merchants thought that the stock
holders OF the Lowell, being mostly Boston and
Massachusetts men, would have all the West
ern business OF the Ogdensburg go to Boston.
They would of c6uree take ell the Western
business of Portland and Maine merchants,
but at their own rates, and there wonld be no
relief in locking to the Boston and Maine
or the Grand Trunk, because all these lines
chose to combine On rates what could our mer-
chants do about it? By the sale of the Roch-
ester, and with Portiand's millions locked up
in q road raining from Portland TO Fabyans,
where is the Portland trade to get help2 OF
course if the Boston & Lowell should choose to
be friendly, with their means they could equip
the 0gdensburg. make it first class road and
give Portland merchants better western facili-
ties than they have ever had. Several thought
it self evident that the Boston & Lowell should
ssizs the opportunity offered them. The pre-
sent Portland business is a tremendous
business compared with what it was
fifteen years ago. With very small in
crease Of population in the State st large the
Portland wholesale dealers influence double,
If not treble, the amount of -four and grocer
les to different points in the State that they
did in 1870. The fact is, said one gentleman,
railroads are like individuals. They are going
to make money fer themselves first, every
time, and be philanthropic afterWard
One of our leading merchants expressed
himself as follows as the only way he could see
out of the difficulty. Let the Portland mer-
chants establish a line of steamers of their own
pOtWCOu CLbidHu duU 0OSLOuf WIFI Lue ILL.,
Outstanding that the freight rates should be
much less than what they are at present, and
every merchant pledge all his freight to the
line. West of Boston arrangements could cas-
lily be made. Another merchant said that such
an agreement would hardly be entered into be-
fore enough Of those who pledged themselves
would break the contract Farther there
would he too much carriage to pay. Nobody
seems to see any real tangible way out of the
woods, but one gentleman suggests that in
future nobody should be nominated for the leg
islsture unless he will promise to vote against
railroad consolidation in any form.
1t is reported, on good authority, that con-
ference was held the other day by officers of
the Boston & Lowell, and Portland & Og
densburg roads, at which the Boston s. Lowell
gentlemen expressed themselves as DESTROYS of
obtaining the Ogdensburg business, and of de-
ing all they could to cement friendly relations
with that road and with the business men of
Portland and Maine.
Locking for Work.
On her last trip, the State of Maine brought