Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-24
THE RAILROADS.
POTATO FREIGHT RATES FOUND TO
BE PROHIBITORILY HIGH.
Produce and Commission Men Meet With
Railroad Magnates in San Francisco.
Relief Promised by the Railroad.
Trainmen's Grievances Quickly Set
tied.

In response to call issued by mum
ber of produce and commission mer.
chants of this city, number OF those
engaged in that line of business, togeth-
er with representatives of the Southern
Pacific company, Atlantic and Pacific
and other railroad lines, met at 302
Davis street. yesterday afternoon, says
Wednesdays San Francisco Chronicle,
to discuss the over-stocked condition oi
the local potato market and the urgent
necessity of obtaining reduction in
freight rates for brief period, 80 that
local shippers might relieve the market
by forwarding the surplus stock to
points east of the Rocky mountains,
where there is a demand for the COM
modify. The present rate on potatoes
to points on the Missouri and Missis-
sippi rivers is 80 cents, and to Chicago
95 cents. The commission merchants
desire that special rate of so cents and
65 cents respectively be granted during
the remainder of the present summer at
least.
Frank Dalton presided and E. R. Ste
vens stated the condition of the market
and how temporary reduction in
freight rates would afford the desired re-
lief.
General Freight Agent Smurr of the
Southern Pacific company stated that
his company would regard the present
case as one of emergency and would,
without doubt, endeavor to get the de-
sired reduction for sixty days from the
Western Traffic association. He sug-
gested that additional facts be gathered
relative to the condition of the market
for submission to the Traffic association.
Mr.. Smurr said further that a special
rate to Texas might be made, simply by
an agreement among the different lines
operating in that state, without the con-
sent of the other members of the Traffic
association. Mr.. Smurr said he would
telegraph agents in Texas to learn the
conditioned the market there.
The chairman appointed E. r. Ste
vens, w. H. Wood of Sacramento, and
d. Keefe as a special committee co gath
er the statistics and information re-
quested by the railroad representatives.
THE TRAINMENs' GRIEVANCE.
Pursuant to arrangements made on
Monday, the grievance committee of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen called
at the Office of General Superintendent
j. A. Fillmore yesterday at IL O'Clock.
The delegation numbered eleven, and
they announced that they desired the
reinstatement of trainman recently
discharged from the service of the coast
division.
Superintendent Fillmore in reply said
it was useless to make any such request,
because the man had been discharged
for cause and would not under any cir
cumstances be reinstated, and, further.
more, that the sooner they withdrew
their request and returned to work the
better it would be for all concerned.
The spokesman of the party was going
to explain, but Superintendent Fillmore
courteously but firmly informed the
committee that they had his decision,
and he would not even discuss the mat
ter with them. He expressed his sur
prise that they would present any such
demand, when they well knew the cause
OF the mans discharge, and that it was
sufficient. The delegation thereupon
withdrew, and later in the day the men,
bers proceeded to their respective homes,
the whole matter being dropped.