St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-01
CUTTING THE RATES.
The $500 Road Cuts Clear
Through From st. Paul and Min
neapOIiS to New York.

For several days rumors have pre-
vailed that the ..SOo'' road was cutting
rates to the East, but the railroads pre-
tended not to believe it was so, and
when asked about it claimed to think
rates were maintained. At that very
time the Burlington & Northern had
made rates for wholesale dealers in st.
Paul that were a good deal below the
tariff. Their eyes were opened yester-
day, and they were placed in a position
where they were compelled to admit
that cut had been made, as they were
confronted with tariff issued by the
800" to take effect to-day, Feb. 1. The
following figures show the former rates
in force between st. Paul and Chicas o.
Chicago and New York, New York and
st. Paul, and the present cut rate:
& & 'Pss !? tc G. G.. sS de aS g g ss,s Sc IS 49,,
Ny. to ST. P..$1.25 sl.o5 so 5el2 1919
Cut rate from
n. Y. .tost. P. 80 so 81 AZ 40
The agents of some of the Chicago
roads in st. Paul were very much eX er-
cised yesterday because the general
managers did not give orders to meet
the cut. During the first part of the
day efforts were made to keep it quiet,
and the agents here were rafting off
dis patches at rapid rate to headquar-
ters, while reports were circulated, on
good authority, too. that an agent of the
Burlington & Northern had actually
been around to dealers and made the
cut rates named above, and that this
agent had been followed by an agent of
the West Wisconsin, who offered the
same figures. Mr.. BOyden, of the Mil
waukee & st. Paul. did not know of the
cut up to o'clock in the afternoon. nor
did he know of what
THE GENERAL MANAGERS
were going to do about it. up to the
same hour. The Omaha people knew
perfectly we'll of the cut, but the gen.
eral managers had&slot, up to that hOur,
met the cut rate. The Burlington &
Northern was engaged in the cut and
had been ready for a day and perhaps
longer. The st. Paul IL Kansas City road
put the'cut rate in, to take effect on the
1st of February, from New York and
common points to st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Minnesota Transfer, which are on
basis of 30 cents per hundredweight on
first-class less than the rates formerly
in effect. The Chicago Tribune says
that Chairman Blanchard Monday
morning Officially advised all of tie
1llSl-OOuHO llllCc lildJ bilCl NClC 1lU-
erty to meet the cut on flour rates made
by the 500 route from Minneapolis.
The Burlington d Northern, in eonnec-
ton with the Chicago Il Grand Trunk,
had already made deal which equal
lied the rates via Chicago, and there
was nothing left for the other roads but
to follow. This begins the struggle be-
tween the Chicago lines and the 500
route, which may end in the making of
merely nominal rates on that commod-
ity. The Chicago committee was in Ses-
sion yesterday with Chairman Blanch-
ard considering another phase of the
matter. Manifestly to
GIVE MINNEAPOLIS FLOUR
the benefit of 321 cent rate through
to the seaboard via Chicago, would be
discrimination against Chicago locally,
as flour from this point takes a 2715s-cent
rate, as against % cents for the COM
modify from Minneapolis. The ques-
tion arose as to whether 1t was good
policy to make this distinction or
whether to reduce the rate from this
point to eQualize with the Northwestern
commodity. The officials wrestled with
the question for an hour or lore,
and it was finally referred to Mr..
Blanchard to take up with the joint
committee" This cut of the 800" is
bound to create general disturbance
in freight circles, and the railroad men
themselves cannot conceive where it
will end.