St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-20
The Reductions Made by Eastern Lines
Raise a Disturbance Among North
western Railroads.
A Meeting Held to Arrange the Matter,
but it Adjourns Without Decisive
Action.
Reduction In Northern Pacific Forces
Ordered -Wisconsin Central Busi-
ness Via the Lakes.
The Northern Pacific Prepared to Do
AS 1t Pleases in the Oregon Nav
igation Lease.
FLOUR DISTURBANCE.
Nearly Equal Rates by All Rail a
hV Water CamSe COnfuSiOn.


Nearly Equal Rates by All Rail and
by Water Cause Confusion.
Since the cut in flour and grain rates from
Chicago to Boston and other New England
points and New York, a disturbance has
existed in the Northwestern Traffic associa-
ton, which, if not settled soon, is likely to
bring serious trouble to the lines in the
combination. The rates from Duluth to
seaboard ports are always made on basis
of the all-rail rate from Chicago to points
east. This is how rates were opened when
the ice went out of the lakes and naviga-
ton opened, but as the Eastern trunk lines
have had no special rate on grain and flour
for the past week, making rates to shippers
far below traffic, the all-rail rate from
Chicago was so much less than that from
Duluth, that -four could be shipped from
St. Paul to Boston by rail almost as cheaply
as by rail to Duluth and Washburn
and Milwaukee, and from there by
lake to the East. Of course,
when this is the case shippers
prefer sending their stuff by rail, and there
is nothing done by the lake lines from Du-
luth and Washburn unless they like to
accept consignment at the per cent. be-
low an all-rail rate, which is in effect when
rates are strictly adhered to. The lake
and rail rate from Chicago to Boston was
Is cents and the all-rail rate 1711s cents per
100 pounds, but reduction of 21s cents
has been made, making rate of 1917 cents
by lake and rail and Is cents by all rail-
The rail rate from ST. Paul and Mfnneapo-
lis to Duluth and Washburn is cents less
per 100 pounds on flour than from St. Paul
and Minneapolis to Chicago, and as the all
rail rate from Chicago to Boston and New
York is the same as the lake rate from
Duluth and Washburn there is only diff
ference of cents per 100 pounds between
lake and rail. But the lines east from Chi
cago have cut ~ cents per 100 pounds,
and the difference now is only ~ cents,
which is
A VERY SMALL DETRIMENTAL
for the quicker transportation. The Omaha
and St. Paul & Duluth roads are the prin-
cipal sufferers, and they have during the
seasons of navigation received nice revenue
by the hauling of the flour to Duluth and
Washburn, but with the present low rate
existing between Chicago and the East this
business is going by the rail route. The
Milwaukee & st. Paul, of course, does not
care how low the rates are kept between
dllu NEW OIk dIlu OOSUOIl, dllu
desires to have rates by lake maintained. In
this case the flour is sure to go East via
rail, and if it were to 60 only to Milwaukee
the Milwaukee & st. Paul gets the same
rate for handling it there as it would to
Chicago, thus taking it over nearly the
whole length Of it's line. The Minneapolis
& St. Louis feels the same as the Milwau-
kee & St. Paul, and would be pleased to see
the lake rates kept above the all-rail rate
from Chicago. It is stated that on this ac-.
count rates from st. Paul and Minneapolis
have not been strictly maintained recently.
A rate of 25 cents per 100 pounds is general
by the Washburn route and Lake Superior
Transportation company and by all rail
from 80 cents. To arrange this matter and
see what could be done
A MEETING WAS CALLED
at General Traffic Manager F. B. Clarke's
office in the Omaha building yesterday
There were present General Freight Agent
Bird and General Northwestern Freight
Agent BQyden of the Milwaukee road, Vice
President Truesdall and General Freight
Agent Hanley of the Minneapolis & ST.
Louis, Assistant President Winter and
General Traffic Manager Clarke of the
Omaha, and General Superintendent
Fisher and General Freight Agent Dodge
of the st. Paul & Duluth. Nearly the
whole afternoon was spent in discussing
this matter, but no conclusion was reached,
and the meeting adjourned.