St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-21
TWENTY Per CENT OFF
Express Companies Will Re-
duce Their Tariffs in the
Northwest.
Supepintendents End a Rate
War and Materially Bene-
fit Shippers.
Men OF Dakota Esteem Women
Of Minnesota Very
Highly.
A Street Which Is Useless
Save for Railroad Pup-
poses.

express companies who have been in
session at New York have decided upon
move which Will exercise potent III
fiuence on Northwestern express rates.
Local agents of the companies were mott
fed Yesterday that a reduction of 2Oper
cent on New York rates to Chicago
would be put into effect as soon as pos
sible. This reduction will effect all
Northwestern rates from New York,
and put this section of express territory
on an equal footing with the rates in the
rest of the country. Until the advent
of the Adams company in the North
west the rates were 20 per cent higher
in this section then anywhere else. and
after that company obtained foothold
vigorous cutting was instituted by all
companies. AS a result of this indiSr
criminate slashing of rates a truce was
patched up few weeks ago, and the
schedule of rates westward in conforms
ity with the agreement of May l, 1885.
The rates in the Northwest were kept
mp because the American and United
States express had a monopoly on the
Twin City business. The former com
pany in particular secured the cream of
the business owing to the shortneSs OF
their La Crosse line. The Adams peo-
pie carried their business into Chicago,
and were then forced to dump it into
the
LAPS OF THEIR RIVALS.
After the Adams Express company
had obtained an entrance into North
western territory they, began to take
preliminary steps towards the reduction
of rates in this section, but met with
nIAnncjfino From, tIniT riuo1S who
10th to surrender their propOrtionate
shares of a fat rate. The restoration of
the schedule Feb. was sweeping in its
results, and acted as balance wheelyon
the minds of superintendent and agents.
Cutting ceased instantly. and by aa
irOn-clad agreement all parties to the
transaction bound themselves TO refrain
from doing so in future.
The superintendent convened in
New York Monday, ostensibly for the
discussion of express matters in GEN
eral, but in reality to come to an agree
ment concerning rates in the Northwest,
where shippers had just cause to grum.
BILE at the discrimination against them
All companies foresaW that the era of
gilded rates in this section of the coun-
try was numbered among the things
that were. The Adams people, how
ever, met with opposition in their at
temptS to lower the rate, as is shown by
the following telegram from New York
received by j. W. Owens, local agent OF
the Adams company:
I'VE have carried our point, and very
much as the man went over Niagara
falls. The American and the United
States have consented to reduction of
20 per cent on New York rates to Chi
This nf affanfc oil North
western rates from New York.
j. ZIMMERMAN, Superintendent"
"FhiS means that we are to have uni
form rates all over the country" said
MI. Owens, in commenting upon the
contents of the telegram yesterday.
"There will be no discrimination
against the Northwest as heretofore,
and = .x
SHIPPERS IN THIS SECTION
will be placed on an equal footing with
their competitors as far as the express
companies are concerned. l do not
blame the other companies for trying to
maintain the rates as long as they
could, but they had to come to it at last,
and l have no doubt they will accept
the inevitable gracefully. The Adams
people have been fighting for reduc-
ton ever since they got into Northwest
efu territory. anu l am happg 10 say
have accomplished their purpose. This
reduction will not tend to precipitate a
cut. but will have the opposite effect,
and by making the rates uni
form, will make them stable as
we'll. The general feeling of
insecurity in Northwestern rates was a
prime factor in causing the last cut.
and knowledge that each company
had twenty per cent leeway contributed
its quota towards producing a rate
slash. But the superintendent have
remedied the evil 10y heroic treatment.
and by mutually agreeing to reduce the
present Northwestern schedule have.
. shown that cuts will be rarities in.
the Northwest. There is no Induce
ment strong enough to warrant me in
discriminating in favor of any one, now
that an amicable condition of affairs has
been reached. aud [ think the other
agents feel as do.'