Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-10-17
IMPORTERS KICK.
Los Angeles Disseminated
Against by the S. P.
Some Facts and Figures About
the Charges.
Goods from Europe Must Go to San
Francisco and Back.
A Rate In Force Up to May Last was
withdrawn-What Appears to Be
Glaring Tnfraction of the
Commerce Laws.

A letter has been written by one OF
the prominent merchants of Los Angeles
to the New York Shipping and Com
mercial List on a subject which is of i'm
portance at the present time. In COM
menting upon it, the paper mentioned
says editorially.
The complaint of our correspondent
should receive proper recognition at the
hands OF the interstate commerce COM
mission, and we shall see that the mat
ter is laid before the board. The Los
Angeles chamber OF commerce, and all
trade organizations in that section of
the country, should unite in an appeal
to the commission. Agitation is neces-
sary in the Inauguration of all reforms.
The letter referred to is as follows:
Los ANGELES, CAL, Sept. %, 1891.
Editor Shipping and Commercial List
We have read with much interest
your editorial in your issue of the 10th
inst. under the head of Will the I'M
porters Assist?
Our complaint, as we'll as that of all
Southern California importers, should
also be brought before the notice of the
interstate commerce commission.
Oubll bDO I'LL VI May ld5b VIC
ship goods from European points, on
through bills of lading, at the same rate
of freight as San Francisco importers re-
ceive on shipments to San Francisco /;
although, in order to deliver at that
point, the railroad company is obliged
to haul the goods about 500
delivered at Los Angeles. TO this
do
any objection, but did not feel that we
score, but on the 18th of May the South
ern Pacific company withdrew from Los
Angeles the benefit of the through Euro
pean freight rates as they had existed
prior to that time, allowing them, how
ever, to continue in force on shipments
made to San Francisco, thus placing
Southern California importers at de-
cided disadvantage, as compared with
their competitors at San Francisco.
The plan adopted now is for Los Ange-
les importers to either ship goods
through New York or New Orleans, pay
ing local freight from European points
to the Atlantic seaboard points, and full
local freights from the seaboard points
to Los Angeles or, to make shipments
points to San Francisco, have the goods
San Francisco, which is a distance of
about 500 miles, and reship from that
point to Los Angeles at an extra expense
of from 80 to so per cent, as much as
the total cost of freight from European
points to San Francisco. This we con-
slider is decided imposition on South
or 70 nd @ "
hampers them in their operations. This
discrimination strikes US as a glazing
infraction of the interstate commerce
laws. and is a matter which we think
should be brought to the notice of the
interstate commerce commission. We
ask your assistance, and trust you will
redress. Either we should have the
same rates as San Francisco, or San
Francisco should pay the same as Los
Angeles pays.
The matter is at the present time be-
ing discussed in our local chamber of
commerce, and doubtless some specific
action will be taken by that body; but,
at the same time. we believe, that as
your journal has wide circulation, and
is read by people all over the country,
your efforts in behalf of this matter will
be of very material assistance in getting
the same brought speedily before the
proper authorities.
Ii you can offer any suggestion as to
the best plan to pursue, so as to have
the matter quickly brought before the
notice of the commission, we shall be
pleased to have you advise us. Await
ing your favors, we remain, very re-
spectfully yours, F. W. BRAUN & Co.