New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-19
FOOD AND FREIGHT RATES.
INVESTIGATION OF THE INTERSTATE CON
MERGE COMMISSION.
HOW THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION AFFECTS
TIE PRICE OF CEREALs-THE PRESENT
cuEhPNEsS OF CORN.

1890
Tho Interstate Commerce Commission, through
commissioners Augustus SchOopmaker ana waiter L.
Bragg. Yesterday began hearing in Room No. 49,
posoIice Building TO inquire into the rates charged
for the transportation OF food products, especially
corn from points in the West to the scaboard inc III
vcstigaton was ordered by u resolution OF the '"c"
states Senate and It's particular object Is 10 learn 10
what extent the price OF food products IS ahccca DIV
tho fro,cht rote and 10 find ont il possible The cause
for the existing low price of corn Commissioners
Morrison and vcazey have been recently MAKING u
tour Of The West for the same purpose.
Mr. schoonmaler opened the proceedings by read
ing ihe Senate resolution. and called to the stand
Thomas L. Greene. who has given special attention
during the last fyc years 10 the subject OF rif''"
freight rates lie provided with humorous s'a-
tstlcs compiled from the figures Of the Department "f
Agriculture in relation the yield Of corn per acre III
be various states the price bushcl and the returns
TO the producers He said that the average oil return
y, acre he's been steadily going down. and he had COM
nuted that the reduction in value i'll direct proper
ton 10 the increase Of the crop In 1-oo the proauc-
ton was greatly In OF that OF former years ana
vet there was reduction In valuc from the crop OF
1885 o; nearly $iO.O0O.o00. The states east oi the
Mississippi had. generally speaking. sho"n II rdnc-
on in the Weld OF corn while those west OF the river
had n larger crop. Indiana. Ohio and Illinois had
sustained the heaviest loss in this respect Onto re
cevcd Ell a In l3-J for an Of corn. while In
iss5 the return wa only - u. IN Nebraska m aere
of corn Brought 80 81 in 1Ss5 and 80 ~ in lS-o The
reason why the states east OF the Mississippi had borne
IN undcr tlc greater burden Of this loss. said Mr..
Greene was because they have q more diversified
agriculture and better able to stand loss IN any
particular department thon those beyond The great
river.
The trouble with now was. the witness said.
that If could not be disposed Of al price at which
II ,yould lie profitable 10 sell In 1878 corn brought
81 cents more bushcl In New York than I'm Nebraska
while la; year the difference was % ccnts. about
three forrths of this sum being for freight From 1870
TO s-J the price in NcwNork state declined - cents
in Iowa cents. and In Nebraska , cents TINS
difference between Ncw-Yorl and Nebraska. he said.
WAS due entirely to the confirmed reduction in fTcls'.
lie thought that general reduction Of freight rates
now vou,d rot Affect the producer one cent. The
main troullc I'm ohio he believed. was due To the
ioN,nr trade rates. Re REGARDED the rates on corn
reasonable Nr. Greene spoke for some Tine on inc
question Il frc Int rates. ana showed how IN some
ease. tAc long and short haul rule did not operate win
entire fairness. lie said that the expectation 81 corn
was Increasing.
After the recess Erasius Clark, IT. general freight
agent Of The Hcw Yorl Central was the first witness.
He said TIA, on all grains except corn. the existing
rate for 100 pounds from Chicago T. Ncw-NoFk WAS
% cents on hi, line, and on corn - cents
He believed that the adoption If t, late on corn dl
NOT arcc; the amount of the cereal transported l.'
ducu memoranda II rates for ascu years. he showed
tia, the charges on corn had been lpT a' l. cents
IN two lu.tsncc,- from June - June 20. l5'9. ana
from March II ~ June -. last IN many 'cr'
durug thc-e periods the carriers CAV" rebates "hrh
here wcrc business reasons for dong 80. The ii' ~
sfi,,- ne aid were duo 70 rat"-war,. llr nn r'
Lnnv Of any clause ~ the Int"r-tHi" commerce IiN
tn hinder reduction between the Mississippi rive.
and IN. Scabpald. Ensfh0uri rates were '>lhhiNh'n
i'm Tho West eastern lines hcns consulted IN IN" mat
t.r He believed the present. charge On corn "cr'
not unjust. 1880. . , ., >,.,,.
Vorl, central was next examined. lie said that ter
,nfr.A charges on corn brought L. tai, pnr' Tor ~
pn,tgfiDn amounted e. !. cents ln'I'l, WIZ, '
covered the cost Of weighing. etc l.i'"- "'',n N'
OCEAN i1d been higher this season iitn nHnal ann
n, "ithni.d Tie rur; ton IN The amount Of gram cN
ported from New loIh - the competition ~ Do.
ihi,ictl.a ana DO ton who quoted lower rates 10Y
IA nfy r. Knccland. chairman of the Produce TX
change committee on rlain '"iu NJ sNP l'vn'' . U
been That tie price ~ corn a -, se.,"t.H W. w.
i.rlalV n.sc,tch hy ttc rates from INC N'.' - W.
declined tis price AT the -caloAA c"'Ih'n "ooN' s'
,nrrh The decrease 900 rate seemed u lt7th tti'
facilities offered N railroad. Tor tiAn,l"itt"h- ~"
nucston Of whether th- inilr"ahs could advance rat
farmer. 81 ftut uilIfH iic -Afn' lil,'
lar heir urodnGs W.. one of srplN ana u'hldH'
N H. mt. were low. proper at 'u $50 Vac h" f'c'
20 traa. rp.at0u; 4 to- Mf' in' lml,iH 81, , ", ~,
,tnf,l Tie rat. came down. NN'n a. ''H y ti' IT,
G,t'.n n railroad rfo- prfirroi '} eject ou "''u
,.,i,. Tr Efecltud -ali iiei "h'n IAhd rae. NfN
down ,ne shipping movement iliE,t mere" 81 '',
.r,..fy tD ocean rates advanced, ara tHc tN. nF'i
.,n.... or didn't .st much icn'hi iNh iNc 'i"if'
We th.rr,. tS, rrr- %, Inland rate. were re- ,onnle
trd.r.c y infr ol so. -nl ir"",r EHt ".'ii.'
.,,1 Dr.. vt- familiar rth iA, r.f fnt iai-h vn ri'ui
AMY me cXamina,iou NIL go on this morning 1t II