The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-22
THE RAILROAD VIEW.
Superintendent Dickinson on
Freight Rates.
AN ANSWER TO LuMBERMEN.
He Does Not Believe Lower Rates
Would Help Them-Seattie d
Montana Opening.

o. W. Dickinson, general superintendent OF
the Northern Pacific railroad, passed through
the city yesterday in his private on his way
home to Tacoma after trip over the Lake Shore
road. He ia accompanied by Mrs Dickinson:
Mrs. c. 8. Warren, of Butte; Mrs. w. W. Stew
art and Mrs. L. Hunter, of Helena: Mrs. NJ. II.
Mills, of Tacoma, and Mr.. and Mrs. George w.
Gabriel, OF Tacoma. On the same train was the
private Ger OF Paul schultze, general land agent
OF the Northern Pacific, who with Walter Cakes
was returning to Tacoma after escorting AessrA
Colby and Hoyt to Everett.
Mr.. Dickinson said in an interview with
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES reporter:
The road is in good condition again after tho
storm, the damage by which amounted 10 ST.
COO instead OF S200.o00 as was ut first estimated.
The wheat crop was not as large estimated
and is about the same as last year. We have so
: far moved about 40 per cent. OF the crop. which
Is much more than we had moved at this time
Tart year. We have had hardly murmur from
the farmers, for we have run spurs so a. 70 load
the grain almost from their doors and have
aimed 10 furnish ears promptly when needed
II IL had not been for the grain business both
east and west OF the mountains i don't know
what We should have done this year, for there
has been great falling OF ia merchandise bust
ness.
Lumber shipments show a steady increase
every year, and will continue TO increase as the
Wisconsin and Southern lumber districts
exhausted, for this will be the only great
OF supply remaining At present
rates we are not making any money on lumber
trGllc. Inc tQlon RACING Is not cdrElluS any
lumber at ell and the agents have been in
strueted not 10 solicit any business OF that class
because IL does not pay. On lumber We have
almost got down 10 the Is cent a ton per mile
rate which, the Pennsylvania railroad officials
estimate. is the exact cost OF hauling under the
most favorable conditions. The maximum rate
fixed by granger legislation in the West ranges
from q TO cent per ton per mile on freight and
is about cents a mile Tor passengers. Yet the
Pennsylvania railroad has about the most favor
able conditions OF any railroad rs
regards density of population, bulk of tonnage
and easy grades in the country; while we have
four mountain ranges TO cross and none OF the
advantages possessed by the Pennsylvania.
These are points which the granger legislators
will not take into consideration in passing max
imum rate laws.
Bnt If we were TO reduce rates we have no as
surance that we should thereby secure any in
crease, for the railroads of Wisconsin, Michigan
and the South would be as well able to carry at
reduced rates a. we should; they would prob
ably meet our reduction with another, and the
Puget sound lumbermen would be just where
they were before, while we should have reduced
cannot force market for their product in the
East, but the demand for il will steadily in
crease rs the Wisconsin and Southern supply be-
comes exhausted.
/ found the Lake Shore road in good physical
condition, but should like TO a little more
lumber and logging. and all the mills seem to
have q pretty good supply of logs in their
booms. The timber which IL now being cut is
all so close to rivers that the logs are hoated
down and the railroad will not have much
chance at the logging business It'll all the tim
Der close to the logging streams has been cut
out.
Work still goes on on the Gray's Harbor and
South Bend lines, but the wet weather prevents
Al from doing much.