Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-24
ATLANrA's GRIEVANCE.

Her Merchants Anxious for the Re
billing Privilege and Tower Rates To
the Exclusion of Other Cities.
Seyenty-nine merchants OF Atlanta have
signed circular addressed 10 the eXecu-
tive and rate committees of the southern
Railway and Steamship AssOciation, ask
ing for the re-billing privilege. The tone
Of the circular Is independent, approach
ing almost TO a peremptory demand.
Their grievance is that the privilege
which was granted them recently was so
soon rescinded.
They say: "The merchants Of Atlanta
have for years suffered under unjust and
discriminating freight tariffs. Repeated
but Intellectual efforts have been made for
relief, until the time for argument has
passed: and taking "A lesson from your
association, they have combined for self
protection. In this connection IL Is proper
that we should state in behalf Of the ship
pers we represent, that the position they
have taken is after mature consideration;
and while it is a most determined concIu-
sion, Ii is not with any feeling of passion
OF prejudice. 1t IS not our desire to take
any unusual action. or create any embnr-
rassment, and in making this final request
for the justice we honestly believe due us,
we trust that a spirit of fairness will pre-
vail and the relief sought will be granted
The mllers and provision dealers and
merchants clam to be the greatest suffer
erS by the withdrawal Of the privilege.
They intimate that some made contracts
under the belief that the privilege OF re-
shipping without paving local rates would
continue in force. The restoration OF the
privilege, they claim, would enable them
10 recover trade that they have lost, with
ton. Nashville is Atlanta's chief
competitor, enjoying as she does,
the privilege for which Atlanta, Georgia's
capital city, is striving. The signers of
the circular ask that the tariff from the
East to Atlanta be restored TO the rates in
effect from April to July - of this year.
During this period OF little more than
three months, through rates We're reduced
from the East ana West 10 interior cities
OF Georgia on account of railroad wars.
At the last meeting OF the association the
gates were ordered to be advanced TO the
figures that prevailed before the cut. The
| circular also asks that the rates ON classes
b, c, ID, and +, from the Ohio river points
to Atlanta, be made on a more equitable
and uniform basis per ton per mile, AS com
pared with Chattanooga on one side Of us,
and Macon and Augusta on the other.
In concluding, the circular says: eve
must insist upon q definite reply, and that
action must not be later than July 30"
What they will do IN case the action is
| not definite or delayed beyond this month,
/ is not intimated. The date of July 30 was
/ probably fixed upon because the rate
4 committee meets July -. A pledge ac-
/ companies the circular, in which
| the petitioners bind themselves 10 patron
/ ize only such lines when there is a choice
I az the merchants committee shall direct.
/ The railroad authorities do not look with
4 favor upon the position taken by the At
I lanta merchants. tt is virtually a de-
mand for discrimination in their favor
against the merchants of other cities, and
the general opinion is, 40 far as "a known,
that the circular will not receive the con-
sideratiou il demands.