St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-01
The Northwestern Cuts the
Rate on Flour to 25
Cents.
Chairman Finley Kept Busy
by the Action Of Warning
Lines.
The Boycott of the Alton Is
Not Making Much Head
way Now.
Western Traffic Matters and
the Rates--Along the
Roads.

The fight against the 500 took a new
turn yesterday, the Northwestern Civ
ing the usual notice that on Aug. 3 It
would make a through rate of % cents
per hundred on -four from st. Paul
or Minneapolis to New York. This is a
cut of FIVE cents per hundred by the
Northwestern. and meets the rate made
by the 500 week ago to-day. At that
time the 500 made a cut of 21s cents
from 27i5, and in some quarters this IS
regarded as indicating that the last cut
proved too much for the st. Paul-ChI-
cagO lines. This, however, is hardly
the case. as the events of the next few
days will prove. There is to be con-
certed war made upon the 500. in self
defense, perhaps. by the st. Paul
Chicago lines. and it may be long
and bitter. What effect the failure Of
the Michigan Central
Coup in the Passenger Business
may have in bringing about some sort
of a compromise between the Quarrellng
roads remains to be seen.
The Northwestern flour rate will be IN
force over the following route: From
Minneapolis or st. Paul to Washburn.
Wis, by rail. thence to Buffalo. n. Y.
by water, and thence by the Lehigh Val
lev to the coast The 500 rate is over
the 500, the Lake Superior Transit COM
pany and the LehIgh Valley. This re-
ductiOn by the Northwestern Will at once
be followed by cuts on the st. Paul X
Duluth. the Milwaukee and other lines,
and the merry war will then be properly
on.
"What action will the 500 take?
81 -, hi Tnrl h
been given vet by the 500, although it
has been asked by hundreds of those
interested However, as the only way
to Judge of the future is by the past.
one acquainted with the road can
quickly form tOlerably correct idea OF
the course of the "piratical 500"
1t will promptly make another cut.
probably to 20 cents per 100.
This Little Rate War
IS apt to become exceedingly popular
with the producers of the Northwest,
farmers as well as millers, and the rates
are in no danger of going too low to
suit them. The increase in ocean rates
is now made up by the decrease in the
rates to New York on this one COM
modify. When wheat shipments really
commence there is no doubt that the
vigor.
The war over rates to Detroit is now
over. and peace, if not quiet, reigned
around the ticket and passenger offices
of the various railroads interested yes
terdav. Chairman Finley will, however,
be called upon, doubtless, to settle sew
eral knotty points that are arising out
of this war. When the Burlington was
designated as the official route by the
association the rate to Detroit and re-
turn was fixed at Sl7.75. The Milwaukee
and Wisconsin Central having shorter
lines by way ofMilwaukee to Detroit, and
anxious to secure some of this business,
looked the field over, figured up the
sum of the locals, and. finding that 10
be S16.S5, announced it as their rate TO
Detroit and return. This the lines
in question contend they had 4
right to do, even though the rate
fixed by the advisory board of the as
sociation for the official route was
greater. To prevent any difficulty aris-
ing OIL this score the Milwaukee and
Wisconsin Central raised the rate to
sI7.75, the rate of the Burlington, think
ing thereby to remove any possible
ground for successful complaint.
The Next Step
taken yesterday by these lines and the
Northwestern, which had Joined them
in the S17.75 rate. is decidedly interest
Ing. and will give Chairman Finley
questions to solve 'as are questions"
When the 500 reduced the rate to Sl62
in retaliation for the action of the
Michigan Central, the Burlington did as
it was authorized to do by the associa-
ton and met the cut. The Milwaukee,
Wisconsin Central and Omaha followed
the Burlington, and will sell at the same
figure, Sl6.25. They do this claiming
thew have a right to do so on business
by way of the short line, which is by way
of the Cream city, as long as they do
not make the rate lower than the rate
by way of Chicago. This claim if main
tanned will lead to many important re-
suits. There is certainly no doubt that
the lines by way of Milwaukee have a
right TO make rate equal to the sum of
the locals, but there is grave doubt as
to whether they have a right to 90 be-
low that when another route has been
designated to carry the traffic by the
association.
Another Cut.
CHICAGO, July 31.-The 'Soo'' line,
in connection with the Canadian Pacific,
is quoting an all-rail, frSt-clasS pas
senger rate from st. Paul to New York
of S24. which is $3.50 less than the low
est fare via Chicago and a differential
line, and $3.50 less than the standard
limited rate via Chicago. The Trunk
Line association roads have notified the
800" that unless it advances rates to
tariff tomorrow they will refuse to
honor tickets or baggage checks of the