St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-07
LIGHT ON A DARK SUBJECT.
Methods Pursued by the Southern
Pacific in Making a Discrimina-
tive Freight Tariff

Methods Pursued by the Southern
Pacific in Making a Discrimina-
tive Freight Tariff.
CHICAGO, Sept. 6.-Chalrman Midgely
yesterday submitted to the members of
the Pacific Coast association a communi-
cation marked strictly Private"
which throws light upon the methods
pursued by the Southern Pacific man
ayers in making their discriminative
freight tariff. Chairman Leeds let the
cat out of the bag when he volunteered
the information to the conference COM
mittee that a messenger had been sent
to the Pacific Coast to make in
quiries of the leading shippers
with view of aseertaining at
what points in this territory they
bought goods. From the information
thus obtained, the commodity test was
made, and the Intention was to supple
ment it by adding other points and COM
mOditieS as necessity should arise. In
coast-the particular patrons of the
Southern Pacific-were allowed to
dictate from which points low COM
modify rates should be made, and this
accounts for the fact that some articles
manufactured in the West were given
commodity rates, while others entitled
to the same consideration, were charged
full tariff. Mr.. Leeds aid that if it
could be shown that any great amount
of tariffic from any point on either of the
western lines was about to be
offered for shipment to the Pa
cific coast it would be given due
consideration and added to the com
modify list. This, however, was con-
sidered by the Chicago committee as
impracticable, as it could not hold ship
ments while awaiting authority to quote
the rate necessary to move them. The
desired authority to make the cOmmOd-
ity rates named from time to time, the
maximum which should be charged for
an intermediate point on the same line
10 the same termini, also that they
should be at liberty TO apply the rates
authorized from Chicago to St. Louis on
all commodities offered from the points
taking those rates. The chairman did
not feel at liberty to go to that extent.
He proposed, however. the following,
which was accepted:
1t is understood that any points
which are to be added to the commOd-
ity tariffsshall be ratified by Mr.. Nudge
ly, and MIR. Leeds, of the TranSconti-
mental association, to be Immediately
advised; also that any commodity pro-
duced or manufactured in said ter
ritory to be marketed On the Pacific
coast, the tonnage of which is of
sufficient Importance to justify it, may
be added to the list of commodities,
and the rates to be made no more than
rates made on the same commodities
from Atlantic seaboard points, such
commodity rates to be ratified by the
chairman of the Transcontinental as
ISOLATION, it being also understood that
such commodity tariffs shall be prompt
ly promulgated so as to make no
material delay in handling the tariff.
The committee then went through the
list which had been prepared by the
Chicago freight bureau and agreed on
the addition of articles named to the
Chicago list which should not be
charged above those applying from New
York. With that understanding it was
expected that the tariffs would at least
be put in effect by all lines from all
points from which said rates were not
below the charges established for some
of the articles from this city to the
Pacific cOuSt