The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-30
WILLARD ON RATES.
Northern Pacific Will Not Re-
duce Lumber Freights.
TALK TO THE MlLLMEN.
shippers Relate Some of the Statements
with Reference to Cost of Haul
ing-whstJ Jim Hill Said.

not reduce the general Eastern lumoer rate ou'
that the lurnbermen could show him mat inc
company could make more money by hauling
a large amount OF lumber al reduced rate,
than t,v hauling a smaller bulk at the present
rate he would gladly present proposition 20
the board OF directors of the Northern racine.
The result Of the conference was anything out
satisfactory to the lumoermen. Ihey now
DO not entertain hope OF securing reduction
from the Northern Pacific or any road which Is
member Of the Transcon tinen tai Association TO
use the words OF one of the leading spirits In the
struggle for the reduction: "Their hopes are
blasted and they can only look for relief 70 Jim
Hil's promise that the Great Northern viii lay
down Puget sound lumber at ST PauI At ~ anu
at Buffalo at sl2 per l,0oQ."
Willard met the ioint committee at the Com
rnercial Club. There were present: John snyder,
W. C. Wheeler, Henry Drum, W. II. Hansen,
Frederick Mottet, A. c. BroKaw, }. Z. mari,
George Browne and c. z. Hale, OF Tacoma; J. 5.
Mundy, Of Fairhaven; g. w. Rose, OF Whatcom;
J. Bird of Centraiia, and T. Rotch. OF Bueoda
Chairman Drum stated the object OF the meet
ing.
Mr. Mottet said:
In the last year or two the lumber industry
has fallen off because of the impossiolllty OF
competing with the southern and Eastern rates
1t was this, Mr.. Willard, which has brought us
together to present this matter to you as chair
man Of the board OF directors OF the Northern
Pacific TO sea whether you cannot anord US some
relief.
Mr., Rotch of the Seatco Manufacturing Com
pauy, presented the case on behalf OF the lum-
bermen. He summed up the situation as fol-
lows:
Since January last our company has shipped
by the Northern Pacific 200 car loads OF LUMBER
10 Missouri river points The Tacoma Mill Com
pany has shipped 30 car loads. For correspond
Ing period under q 40 cent instead of % cent per
hundred rate, our company will ship l0oo ana
the Tacoma Mill Company $50 ear loads TO the
same points Since January the Tacoma MIL
Company has paid the railroad company $4,000.
Under reduced rates il will pay $4,000 freight
rates during the same period
At the conclusion of the conference Mr. Rotch
said to q correspondent OF the Posr-IETELLI-
GEHCKR:
The whole tenor of Mr.. Wizards reponse in
dicates that the Northern Pacific would reduce
the rate IL the lumbermeI could find some
means to compel the other roads OF the Trans
continental Association to order reduction of
the rate. That association includes all the roads
TO the Coast and Mr.. Willard replied that any
clash with it and its edict woHld precipitate
disastrous rate war not only in lumber,
but in everything else: OF course, there
IL no means of influencing the Trans
contin entail Association and therefore, mas
much as the chairman of the board of directors
of the Northern Pacific offered no encourage
ment, we do not look for any relief. The matter
will again come up at a meeting OF the lumber
men of the state at Seattle on November IL.
Willard said 1t was Improbable TO haul lumber
at 81 cents even. He was shown that in the
general report Of the Northern Pacific that
where the company hauled eastbound one
loaded car It hauled five empty ones. AT 80 per
cent. additional expense the cars could be
hauled loaded. To this there was no direct
reply.
the Northern Pacific were represented by Freight
Manager Fulton and Assistant General Superin-
tendent Dickinson. The latter stated that IL
cost the Northern Pacific nine-tenths of a cent
per ton per mile TO carry freight, and that at
that rate IL was lower than the rate now given
on lumber.
showing that the rate quoted applied to
all freight handled, including local short
hauls, and In cases where the COM
pany has TO load and unload freight, whereas
the ium bermen perform that service themselves,
and besides the lumber goes straight through to
the East without switching and transfer ex-
pensa
Mr. Rotch says Fulton made what seemed to
him very curious proposition. He favored a
sort OF combination by mill men to keep down
the amount Of shipments. BY so doing, however,
he did not promise to reduce rates. The Southern
yellow pine shippers have q 22-cent rate to
points where Puget sound lumbermeu pay IS
cents. Mr. Roch holds that the wages of help
are about the same in both districts, notwith-
standing the statement made by Mr.. Willard
that he had heard of negroes In the South work
ing for IS per month and boarding themselves
The present rate to Chicago points is 81 cents
per hundred. No change was promised or en-
couragement given. The impression prevails
AlIhIu 10 rearing disturbance
growing out OF silver, and that 1t will put Amer
team securities in a position where every
cent OF earnings viii be needed,
and therefore the Northern cannot afford
80 do any business at little or
no profit Mr.. Roteh SAYS he heard James Hill
say he would haul lumber TO st. Paul and Buffalo
ct the price quoted, and that his road would
have such easy grades that trains could be
hauled like canal boats
Willard, Ia his lengthy address, dwelt on the
value Of the Northern in helping cities through
which it passed Regarding cars he said:
Now who is there among you who could afford
10 say to US: Ii You Will procure sufficient
equipments, say 1000 or 1900 cars to do our in.
creased business. guarantee to YOU for the
next i've years regular tonnage. Not one ot
you could DO IL. 1t would not 10 sale for You.
Would not advise you to 90 it.
But that IS the condition which couironts
me. l would have 20 make an outlay of
capital without being assured that Ii would be
repaid am happy to say that the business OF
the Northern Pacific has become So regular in ia
toW within the last two years that the proper
tiou Of empty cars moving IN either way has be-
come very much reduced. SIN, lumber,
snd especially the long timber which
you desire 10 have carried, being capable Of
transportation only on platform cars, We nave
70 consider the question whether they would be
filed coming bsk. Hard times prevail not
only in the United States but in the world
Money is tight everywhere and industries
crippled, which Is caused by oyerpr0luct!on
ana reduced markets., and 1t would be
depression OF the lumber business 20 auv
1reciio cause, such IS too high railroad rates
lie times have been downward. Every staple
article ia the markets OF the word except
wheat, which has risen OWING Ia failure of tie
crops IN Europe. is q drug on the market.
Regarding ID TTansc0ntiAen,al Asso ciation,
Willard said:
The Northern Pacific IS a member OF the
nssocia'.gu and Il has no power 10 lower rates
AGAINST the VIII OF the majority, ana To resist
THAI VIII wuuid simply mean the breaking up of
tie association; and am sure that YOU. gentle
men, know tire .uinOus results that hava been
brought upon railroads by such conflicts lam
sure you Will not expect US 10 take such risks
uNou ourselves for your benefit In former
years have been time and again instrumental
II bringing about reductions of rates without
the sol4citaton of any one, should Ike no,a-
Ing better than 20 see tse great volume OF our
tIlIGC swell considerably, but we cannot seek
that ct the expense Of our net earnings
We are not in prosperous condition. We have
been obliged 20 increase our fixed chargcs IN or
d.. 10 raise our capital. We mean 10 80 on pro-
N-dlnE capital 20 meet local requirements along
our line 10 Puget sound. We cannot stard
eth. No railroad can afford 10 stand SIN I'D
We DO not wish 20 be brought into tie same
p7edicament that the Union Pacific haa been
brought TO, that Is 20 the verge OF bauk rurtcy-
10 Nlthln avery snort stance of receiver
shlP Their business has cost them 30 Yer
cent, whlte ours has cost US = little over % por
cent In conclusion, l am perfectly VIII.
ing 70 ADMIT the argument that i lower
tSles Couia DC granted our transportation busi-
ness would increase We have no certain eorir-
ment now in cars capable of Carving lumber
and II the numbering business SHOULD ysrv -,l,rh
increase We .houId De obliged TO add to he
equipment l am told by TIE gentlemen
rcg-esenting the trafic and Operative dfng~f
larHt here that the long timber could
bar DC transported 10 advantage but 10 do
business on 4 large scale Il would he recesSsry
60 provide long cars. double the length of Cr,r
present ones, which would involve a ,ertafn
outlay of capital. Two considerations come an
IN mat connection: First. whether We can do mi
W. .,-A No