The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-27
HIGH FREIGHT RATES.
qgr SUBJECT DISCUSSED BEFORE
THE CRARBER or COMMERCE.
Lengthy Reports Submitted Relative TO
the Conferences Between the Commit
tee and the Transportation Lines.

4 called meeting OF the Richmond
Chamber Of Commerce was held in the
rooms Of the chamber yesterday evening
ri 6 o'clock. Hon. George l.. Christian,
president. occupying the chair.
The object Of the meeting, as announced
IN the notice. was 10 hear the report OF
the Committee on Inland Trade In refer
ence TO the advance in rates from
Northern cities to Richmond. which was
referred 20 this committee at the last
quarterly meeting Of the Chamber
The question being an important anu
interesting one quite large hui'''''
members were present -. ,,,os
The Chair announced that as theIe Wa
some other business 10 be uispooO
which would occupy but a S"V'e -
that n Il was the pleasure "' ''0 - tba
DE would defer the ConsideI"'iot %
Committee on Inland Trade ahu .',e ~
inc acouiesctng fla THIS susk's'lo" 'ii0
80 , .,ii,1 on 10 read com
consideration from the New orleans ooaru
80 trade rccucsuug chambers OF COM
,rorce and c0mmcrclh ~ S"i''~''i'i'
fhr,,,ghout the United 9laleS 70 senu
delegates 10 % CouVento" ." Nv H,'u ~
49,. tho e0th instant in the in
20
, tto Nicaragua canal under the
~ the National Government
a., -. ms speedy completion as a com
lYcrrial necessity, etc.
a nst having been suggested by Mr.
John T., Williams Of suitable persons 10
represent the chamber at this conven-
tion colonel John b. Purcell moved that
"a committee Of three be appointed by
tho chair Of such persons on the list as
would be able to attend. and this motion
lsiro carried the committee will be duly
amounted as soon as it is ascertaincd
which Of the gentlemen will be able TO
at.
A committee composed Of Messrs. F.
IT, Deane J. r. Tucker. Jr., Everett
Waddey. T.. Il. Ferguson and J. l..
Antrim having been appointed at the
last meeting Of the board to prepare
suitable resolutions in honor Of the mem
orv Of the late II. Il. Taliaferro, submit
ted tho following. which was adopted
Whereas. on the 18th day Of october
last IL pleased Almighty God to remove
lv death from our midst our esteemed
and h0nored fellow-member, II. y. Taiia-
forrO. and
Whereas. Il behoovcs us to express our
sorrow and our appreciation Of his ster-
Ing worth. his enterprlsing spirit, his
interchangeable energy and his devotion 10
The works and objects OF this Chamber;
BE il resolved. LIST. That in honor OF
tho memory Of the late II. 3. Taliaferro,
We hereby record our recognition OF his
valuable services as a member. ana Tor
number OF terms as "A director Of this
chamber. Of his earnestness in the ad
rancement Of its usefulness. and Of his
readiness 10 give his aid at all times
20 an measures having for their object
the welfare and good Of the city;
%. That IN his death this body and this
community has lost one Of its most ac-
tive. valuable and esteemed members;
Sd. That these resolutions be spread
upon the records Of the Chamber, and
that a COPY thereof be sent TO the family
OF the deceased.
Mr.. S. W. Travers, chairman OF the
Committee on Inland Trade, then sub
mitted report from his committee con-
tanning an account Of its proceedings in
the matter of rates from Northern cities
20 Richmond. and the redress thus far
obtained from the transportation com
panies. together with some views Of the
committee upon this important question.
The secretary was called upon to read
the report which was follows:
Your Committee on Inland Trade 10
which was referred the communication Of
Mr. y. II. Johnson relating 10 the advance
fn rates from Northern cities to Rich
mond. begs leave TO advise that the mat
Ter was promptly taken up after the meet
Correspondence was at once opened
with the agents of the Old Dominion
Steamship Company, the Clyde Line and
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the
cid and new tariffs were asked for. and
g. conference with the agents of those
transportation companies was requested.
Subsequently II was ascertaned that
this advance applied TO rates from Balu-
more 20 Richmond via West Point, so
the agents Of the Richmond and Danville
were also invited 10 take part in the con-
ference.
AS our application for the old tariffs Of
the three lines first mentioned could not
be complied with for the reason as stated
by those lines. that they We're not in such
shape as 10 make It practicable for them
O. comply with our request, II became ne
ceesarv for the committee 10 obtain this
Information. as far as possible from
the mcr. hants and manufacturers them
selves
Accordingly. n large number Of them
We're written TO and requested to prepare
this data. and TO hold themselves in readi-
ness to meet the agents Of the steamship (
and railroad companies. and TO state the
effect OF the advance Of October 18th upon |
their rc pective interests.
Ou Tuesday the 25th ultimO. the earliest |
time at which We could secure an APP |
po.u'ment with Mr.. Guillaudeu, traffic |
manager or the OlQ DOMINION ClcdHSlllp !
Company. a meeting was held in the |
Chamber. at which. i'm addition TO Mr.. |
Glauleu. Mr. Haas and Mr.. Drake, Of |
te Richmond and Danvillc. the Inland |
Trade Committee and a number Of the |
merchants and manufacturers of Rich !
mond were present
Tho other lines were invited TO be pre-
sent also. but for various reasons were /
prevented from sending representatives.
At this meeting the evidence produced /
so overwhelmingly went TO prove that /
III nearly all the cases under considera-
ton the advance was excessive, and in |
some cases absolutely destructive of bust /
ness over the lines concerned TO Rich /
mond. that Mr.. Guilaudeu could only say /
that il was not the purpose OF his line to /
adopt rates that would be thus injurious /
IN their effect. and De assured the COM /
rnittee that he would return and confer |
with the other transportation lines par
ties 10 the agreement TO advance rates /
and that while ne had no authority 10 |
commit them he felt confident they would /
use their best efforts TO have the tarlH |
revised as far as Il was possible for them |
TO DO so.
In addition to the advance in rates, the
situation was further complicated by
change from specific rates TO class rates
4 fhe steamship companies. and Of classl-
ton from that Of the southern Rail-
way and Steamship companies" 10 the
"0srial" I'm the case Of some OF the rail-
roads the object being to govern all the
Tafes f,. the official ella esifcatiOn.