Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-06-17
RIVER VS. RAIL.
The Diamond 30 Line Makes n
Smashing Cut at the Railroads.&c.
somewhat Sensational Circuit,

Caplaiu 0eorSe Lamont, local agent
OF the Diamond 10 line, has received a
circular endorsed by President E. NJ.
Dickey and Genera Freight Agent F. A.
Bill which is likely to create something
OF Juror in traffic circles, and which is
in mild sense, perhaps, declaration of
war. The circular reads:
To agents, shippers and connecting
lines: 1t has been the constant aim of
Diamand 10 Line steamers, since its or
ganization in 1857 to establish its rates
OF transportation upon basis which,
while fair TO its patrons, and low enough
to Justify the shipment OF fair proper
ton o, competitive freight by river,
should at the same time be eQuita Gle
toward competitors We have endeav-
ored to reach this result by establishing
ra es certain number of cents per hun
dred pounds below the rail tariffs in force
from tine to time. We have aimed to
deduct only such differentials as would
cover the cost of insurance and difference
in time between rail and river, so as to
put our rates upon practically the same
basis as rail rates While this policy
has not been e> actly a failure, the exper
fence OF number of years has shown that
i is not fully satisfactory either to this
company or its patrons.
Within the psst 16 years our rail COM
petitors have been constantly improving
their terminal facilities at the various
cities and towns, until now there are but
few Of the manufacturing establishmar s
or jobbing houses from St. Louis to s..
Paul that are not located upon side
tracks, where freight in car loads can te
shipped and delivered without expen Sc,
or at most with a trifiing switching
charge. On many classes of goods the
drayage TO and from our docks exceeds
our entire dfferentinl.
The rate-making situation with rail-
roads has become so complex within the
last few years, and rail rates have been
subject to such great and sudden fluctu
atiOns, made on account of competition
between the railroads themselves, or for
tde alleged purpose of meeting river
competition, and so many private and
commodity rates have been put in force
by Issuing supplemental and special
commodity tariffs, covering certain arti
Giles, made for the benefit of favored
been great uncertainty as to how our
tariffs have compared with the rates
charged by rail lines. 1t has been i'm
possible for us to issue special tariffs to
meet all the special rates made by the
railroads, and in most cases such action
would have been totally useless. as such
tariffs were issued only to apply to GER
tain shipments contracted before the
rates were put into effect.
In order to remove all elements of
doubt, and TO assure our patrons and
competitors that our tariffs are at all
times upon fair and equitable basis as
compared with the rail rates then in
force and effect, agents are hereby au-
thoriZed to make rates hy Diamond 10
Line steamers upon any and all freight
offered for shipment that can be advan-
tageously handled by boat from or to
Mississippi river points on our line. as
follows:
Between St. Louis and Keokuk, and in>
termediate points, 50 per cent CT current
rail rates.
Between all other points between 81.
Louis and S. Paul inclusive, 663 per cent
Of the current rail rates.
The premium rate on any shipment to
be not less than cts. per Cwt and min
iTun charge % cts per lot.
The above percentages are subjected to
change at any time, and will be deminish.
ed or increased as business justifes, or
stage of water requires. Having all the
Isil rates at hand, all that will be neces-
sary hereafter to have practically full
set of our tariffs will be to obtain from
our agent or this office, the per cent TO
be applied to rail rates. The different
clasifcations and conditions of rail ship
ments apply also on business by Us, and
our percentages will apply on all regular,
special and commodity rail rates.
Until such time as we can procure all
the rail rates to and from each station,
our present tariffs will apply when they
are less than rates made by the above per-
centages, when actual rail rates cannot be
obtained. or between such places as may
not have direct rail connection.