The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15
FROM DALLAS.
THE CONFERENCE BEWEEN THE
FREIGHT COMMITTEE AND RAIL
ROAD REPRESENTATIVES,.
The Merchants Threaten the Roads with tn,
Legislature and the Roads Will
Appeal to the People.
Special to the Statesman.

DALLAS, August 13.-This morning an
other conference was held between the
, railroad men and the subcommittee of the
committee of thirty-one appointed by the
Dallas Freight convention. Mr.. ]. w
Terry, of the Santa Fe, inquired what the
object and powers of the committee were
to which Mr., Blake replied, it was sub
committee to confer with the railroad rep.
resentatives and report to the committee Of
the whole Mr.. Blake then said it was de.
sired that there be no discussion, but every.
thing should be conducted in writing, to
which Mr., Terry replied that they had moi
been accorded time to make a report in
writing, and consequently the railroad rep
resentatives declined to do so.
AT L O'Clock nothing had been ac-
cOmplished and an adjournment un-
til 3 o'clock was taken. When
the conference reassembled at 3
o'clock Mr.. Lovett, ofthe Texas and Pacific,
arose and addressed the committee on the
tee some interesting information. When
Mr.. Lovett finished J. w. Terry read a let
ter to Mr.. Blake offering to turn over the
entire line of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa
Fe to the Blake committee if they would
guarantee per cent on the money actually
invested in the road. This offer set the
committee wild and one said that it was an
insult to what little sense the committee
had.
Mr.. Blake arose and said the railroads
had sent their able attorney to bewilder
the committee. The committee had no
attorney. They were simply plain bust
ness men who had met the representatives
of the railroad to find out if the people of
Texas could get relief from the burdensome
freight rates which were imposing on the
people of the state.
Mr.. Terry assured the committee that the
proposition was not made to insult the
committee, but merely to show that with
the over charges which the committee
complained of the road was not pay
ing expenses. He then read a statement of
the earnings of the Santa Fe for 1888 and
the fixed charges for the same periods.
showing deficit in the way Of earnings of
over $4,000, which was only covered by
the sale of town lots and lands.
Mr.. Ripley then took the floor and pre-
sented statements of the earnings and
fixed charges of the Houston and Texas
Central and the Texas Central railways, the
earnings of both showing large deficits.
Mr.. Ripley then said that in the present
state of affairs the roads could make no
general reduction. If on any line of
freight the charges were unjust the roads
it, but it was out of the question to make
general reduction.
Then Mr.. Blake arose and acknowledge
ing his defeat, said that he would go before
the people of Texas with his grievance, and
that the legislature would take up the mat
ter. He would beg the roads no longer; he
would fight, and fight hard.
Then Mr.. Levett arose and showed that
the committee had endeavored to bulldoze
the freight men rather than confer with
them. Now they practically threatened
the railroads with conhscation. They
would bring pressure to bear on the gov
ernor to call an extra session of the legisla-
ture In such case the railroads would
go before the people and lay the facts and
when the facts were learned the roads
would get justice:
Then Mr. Kearby arose, and in deep
voice reasserted Mr.. Blakes threat. This
led to discussions which ended in Mr.. Blake
making the following proposition:
THAT the railroads make general
the excess of the Texas rates
on various commendities over the south
Atlantic states tariff. The freight men
said they would consider the proposition
if made to them separately in writing, as
they were prohibited under that paragon OF
wisdom, the trust law, to consider 1t to-
gether. Then the congress adjourned.t
In conclusion, while it may be that there
are some inequalities in the freight tariffs,
the roads certainly produced figures which
must convince all that general reduction
in freights cannot possibly be made with
safety, and the freight committees threats
were certainly discourteous, narrow minded
and smacking of anarchy