The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-07-11
RAILROADWAR
The Ball Opened by Grain Cut
by the Baltimore and
Ohio.
Effect on the Great Trunk Lines
Fink Resigns His $4,000
Place.

NEW YORK, July 6.-The Times says the
railro ads in the Trunk Line association,
like SONS sporting people, are wondering
whether there is gcing to be fight or not.
Some of the roads have been training for
a big boiling over foreign war. s. For some
time the Baltimore and Ohio was the first
to come forward with cents cut,
on grain from Chicago to Baltimore and
Philadelphia. This was announced on
Wednesday. The regulations of the
Trunk line association require that when
road reduces rates it shall give five days
notice, so that this cut will go into opera
ton Monday.
The regular Trunk line rate on grain
from Chicago to the seaboard is 25 cents
hundredweight. The Baltimore and
Ohio is anxious to do business at 20
cents. This calls for one or two things
settlement of some sort or general
upsheathing of knives and cutting of
rates. Thera was no lack of talk yester
day about the roads making cuts to meet
the drop of the Baltimore and Ohio.
There came from Chicago q disI atch
which said Pennsylvania had met the cut
by making cent reduction not only on
Philadelphia and Baltimore, but on New
York, Boston and all New England rates,
and that Lake Shore would meet this.
m = = ako kal fha snEa <,f
the rest of the Trunk line situation.
Another dispatch from st. Louis said
President Ingalls, had authorized out of
2 cents under the Baltimore and Ohio
in grain rates on the consolidated Bee
Line and Big Four. This dispatch was de-
MED by General Manager Lying, of the
West Shore, who is also vice-president of
the Big Four. He said he had informa-
tion from Mr.. Ingalls, that no such action
had been taken. The reported reduction
wRs positively denied.
H. j. Hayden, second vice-president of
the New York Central, said that his road
had made no cut, and would not until af
ter the meeting, when the matter could be
discussed.
Samuel Feldon, of the Erie road, Jele
graphed Mr.. Hayden that the Erie had
made no cut, and suggested that a meeting
be called.
Commissioner Fink had nothing TO say
about rate cutting other than that he had
called a meeting for ne1t Wednesday, at
which the matter should be taken up.
Mr.. Fink is booked to sail for Europe
on that day. A meeting has been called
for Monday to select commissioner to
fill his place for the time being, and no
one seems to have any knowledge as to
the man who will be selected to fill this
fine $25,0OO berth. The Trunk line pres
idents themselves do not seem to be in
harmony ON this point. At the meeting at
which Fink's resignation was accepted
President Roberts asked other presidents
for suggestionsy Not one was offered.
"If Pennsylvania has started in to meet
the Baltimore and Ohio cut," said an Of
fcial of one of the Trunk lines yesterday,
"that will end it. President Mayer, of the
Baltimore and Ohio, will find he cannot
hold out against the Pennsylvania. Be-
sides the stockholders are becoming every
day more important factors in the man
agement of railroads. They have ell they
want of these rate wars"
Ine Now 1OrK, OnlHrlO anu oSIeru
will not meet the cut, 30 President Fowler
said yesterday: eve would rather give
up what grain business we have than make
a cut. There would be no profit in it," he
added.
ACTION OF THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO.
BALTIMORE, July 6.-The Baltimore and
Ohio has not taken any action in regard
to the order of President Ingalls, of the
Big Four for cut of 2 cents below the
new rate of the Baltimore and Ohio on
freights east from Chicago. A prominent
official of the Baltimore and Ohio said TO-
day: "We expected ingalls, 10 take
the action he did. He has
been cutting rates right and left, and we
were compelled to reduce to II cents.
Ingalls, is interested in the Chesapeake
and Ohio road as we'll as the Big Four, and
he will continue to send all the grain
he can procure to Newport News, there to
be shipped to Europe. Had not the Bal
timore and Ohio taken the step they did
Baltimore merchants would soon find
their large and lucrative grain trade trans
ferred to New York, Philadelphia and