Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-04
WON'T DECLARE WAR.
Pittsburg Shippers Have No Desire
to Hurt the Railroads.
THEY ONLY DEMAND FAIR PLAY.
A Freight Bureau to Benefit Manufacturers
and Carriers.
EQUALIZATION REFUSED NEW YORK

The local freight agents of the city are
coming out and proclaiming loudly that
there is no discrimination against Pitts
burg. There has been some bad feeling
created by the discussion among railroad
men. 1t is the general view of the pro-
moters of the freight bureau that the enter
prise should not be considered as the de-
claring of war against the railroads, but
rather as q move that will work increased
benefits for the roads as well as the ship
pers The promoters appreciate the value
OF the cooperation of the railroad agents
and desire their aid in the work they have
before them.
MI. George 7. Oliver, when asked yhat
he thought of the position the local agents
had assumed, said: 81 have read the inter-
views with freight agents OF the different
railroads which have appeared in some of
the papers. Some of these interviews show
an inclination on the part of these gentle
men to lose their temper. In one of them
the movers in behalf of better rates are
characterized as individuals with private
axes to grind, while in another they are re-
ferred to as two or three disgruntled manu-
facturers.'
Will BE of General Benefit.
GAS matter of course the shippers who
are dissatisfied must have had private axes
to grind or they would never have become
personally cognizant of the abuses that con-
fessedly exist, but in grinding their own
axes they are also sharpening those of all
classes of business men, and whatever bene-
hau dor; fro he w he
shared blythe citv at large.
''Is there any desire on the part of the
projectors OF this scheme of establishing a
freight bureau, to make wsT upon the rail
roads," was asked.
"For my own part" Mr.. Oliver replied,
81 wish to emphatically disclaim any de-
sire to make war upon the railroads, or to
have anything done that would be inimical
to their true interests, and wish here to
say that I do not think any of the loc al
representatives of the railroads would in
tentionally be party to any action which
he thought would iniure the city in whose
prosperity they, as we'll as ourselves, are SO
largely interested. Their error lies, not in
the intention to do wrong, but in the mar
row and contracted view which they take
of a subject which should be looked upon
from the broadest and most liberal stand
point. / am glad to see that in the move
ment made yesterday toward reducing the
rates from Eastern points to Buffalo the
Pittsburg representatives took a stand in
favor of our people. 1t is no more than l
expected of them.
Will Help the Railroads.
"Now We must educate them to go even
farther than this, and to take decided
stand In favor of lower comparative rates
all around for this district, both in and out.
In short, we can only succeed in this move
ment by convincing the general officers OF
the different roads that their revenue will
not be cut down, but will actually be in
creased by giving better rates to this city.
In doing this, we hope that the local rep
resentatives will be our allies and not our
enemies.
'If freight bureau is established
hope to see it placed under the control of
railroad man of energy and experience,
whose standing in the business
world will at all times, and in all
places. entitle him to hearing. Who he
is, do not know, but have no doubt that
the right man can be found, if the people of
Pittsburg decide that they want him."
A dispatch from New York says that at
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yes
terday w. B. Thurbsr, Chairman of the
committee appointed to endeavor to secure
equitable freight and passenger rates be-
tween that city and Chicago during the
Columbian Exposition, reported that the
presidents of the trunk lines had promised
to bring about a meeting between the rep
resentatlves of the Chamber and of the rail-
ways to discuss the fixing of fpassenger rates.
They gave less hope, however, of any further
of freight rates. On motion of
G. Waldo Smith it was resolved to urge the
of Public Works to keep
tine Erie canal open to latest possible |
movement so as to remove the blockade.