New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-29
THE DRESSED-BEEF INQUIRY.
RAILROAD MEN BEFORE THE VEST SENATE
COMMITTEE.
EXPLAINING WHY THEY PAY MILEAGE oN NJ
FRIGERAToR OARS AND NOT oN
PALACE CATTLE CARS.

,y.sh,ro,on Ian os-The Vest Committee, en-
Igaped in investigating questions relating W 'io
dressed beef industry resumed Its sessions tS MN
ing and examined a number OF rairoau nen' ,
b. butcher, general live stock agent Oh inc NC"
Central Railroad testified that the Central useu
stock car of its own, and did not use palacc 0aes
cars. The New-York Central at the beginning mao
refused to pay mileage on cattle cars anu ''S
never made such payment a practice. An e&ccp
tion was made however, in the OF cars con-
tanning horses, "a cent per mile each FAY oeinP
allowed On dressed beef refrigerator cars tne COM
pany also allowed "a cent a mile; the raOo lawns
been cut down from one cent. When the ir"nN
line Association agreed not to pay mileage any
longer on palace cattle cars the rairpads were SUD
allowed to pay mileage on dressed Deer cars
senator Vcst-Then, as between the live cattle ana
the dressed beef you refuse to pay mileage on the
cars containing live cattle, but continue IL as 10
dressed beef Now is not that simply rebate 10
the dressed beef menf
wItness-No. SIR 1 don't think it is rebate; but.
over and above what the refrigerator car Is WORTH 10
Is slight discrimination in favor OF the dressed oee
men. ,, -.
John Harriet traffic manager of the Baltimore ana
obio pailroad testified that the Baltimore and ONO
Maid three fourths Of cent mileage on cattle cars
from Chicago to the Ohio River but that east OF 'e
Ohio River no mileage allowed, the Eastern
territory being in the Eastern Trunk Line Associa
ton. which had inhibited the payment OF mileage.
8 NJ. FELTON,. vlce-president Of the Erie, testlhed
that the mileage paid the dressed beef men on 'ieit
cars undoubtedly gave handsome profit, but that IL
was not what railroad men call a rebate. Inc rate
,,.as originally fixed at "a cent because tiat was
tbe allowance between the railroads on nterchaheeo
business Some roads, in order to get business pu.
H. ND as high as 1 IA cents, and IL was oeoau'0 -
This that the Trunk Line agreement was reached
Frank Thomson, vice president OF the PenhSS vans
Railroad corroborated the testimony OF previous VIZ
oos az TO the rates on cattle and dressed beer ana
matters pertaining to the trunk line agreement i"'
o NJ refrigerator cars belonging to private p'rues'
opd the allowance OF mileage he ascri0ed 10 INC
nocuIIar character of the cars, which were NOV
adapted 10 other traffic. 49,,
senator vcst-Why instead Of paying mileage did
vou not establish uniform transportation rate Oh
dressed beef ~ ou,
Mr. Thomson-It is the custom to pay all owners
Of cars O fixed rate for the use Of the cars.
Mr. Thomson alleged that the Pennsylvania mad
determined not to carry patent live stock cars regard
less OF what action the Trunk Line Association HeU
take. 1t would not only not pay mileage, but "Ouiu
not take the Its trouble was 10 ~ 49, ' no
traffic and, empty cars took up as cn IPs'e ars
loaded ones IL had resolved TO use It's own cate cars
entirely they could be sent back 10 Chcaso ioaoe
Hsllis J. HAYDEN second vice president Of the New
York Central Railroad testified that the indications
were that the Grand Trunk Railroad was conthus 10
nav mileage on private cars, notwithstanding lne
trunk-lIne agreement but that the Grand trunk
strenuously denied the charge. In explanation OF
the fact that mileage still paid on dressed, oeei
cars the witness said that the dressedDeeI nuseIS
was started years ago. and the shippers built theIr
own cars. The railroads had not much confidence
in the industry, and therefore never putt cars OF
their own so that when the business became large
one the companies had no cars. The railroads had
cattle cars however before cattle owners began snip
ming in their own cars, that they were able TO
transport all cattle offered - H.
Senator Vest-What is the reason for the three
quarter-cent rate y A., 49,. ons
witnessThese dressedbeef men own the cars snq
leverage. They can throw the whole business, and it
is likely they would find some road v 70 bI take we t cs1
do is 10 fix rate that is not high, but reasonable and
endeavor to keep the rates uniform, SC that traihc
shall select its channel