The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-18
RATE CUTTING In DIXIE.
A LACK OF HARMONY IN THE
RAILWAY ASSOCIATION.

Fines OF $4,000 Imposed by the Com
missioner OF the Association Re-
mitted ct It's Meeting-An Attempts
to Have Improbable Rates to New
Orleans Advanced Proves Futile.
NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE Herald, this
morning, prints the following: There was a
good deal OF talk about harmony and the
transaotion Of q great deal Of business at the
long session of the Southern Railway and
Steamship Association in this city that has
Just closed This talk had its effect where
it was most desired, but now that the meet
ing is over it may be stated that very little
was accomplished except to show the fulfill
ity Of the attempt at an agreement Of the
southern lines like that OF nearly al, the
other associations that support a corps of
high priced officials They met chiefly to
adjust the freight rates on a better paying
basis. Freight rates have been abnor maIly
low, and some of the railroads have been
carrying tonnage at losing rates.
The FIRST STEP PROPOSED.
The first steps proposed was to raise the
rates 5 30 cents per 100 pounds on certain
classes OF heavy freight bound from the
northwest to southeastern points; in ether
words, grain, hay and other products COM
ing through Memphis and the Mississippi
points to the seaboard at Savannah, Bruins
wick, Pensacola, Mobile and the like. But
when 1t came to getting the general con-
sent of the roads represented. President
Clarke of the Mobile and
Ohio Railroad Company: refused to raise
the rates on these commodities to
Mobile, which is the southern terminus of
his rosd unless the Illinois Central Railroad
InnNVanU rails he. -. NJ
Orleans. The rates to the two points are
now the same, and consequently neither
city infringes upon the business Of the other.
According to President Clarke, if the rate
TO New Orleans were lower than that TO
Mobile, the New Orleans merchants could
reach reach out and gather in the business of the
Mobile trade. This he did not intend to
allow. The rates must be the same to New
Orleans as to Mobile.
FISH DECLINES TO RAISE.
president Clerke then asked President
Stuyvesant Fish OF the Illinois Central
whether he would raise the rate to New Or
leans 8 cents a hundred If the Mobile and
Ohio would do the same to Mobile. Presi-
dent Fish refused. alleging that the com
petition OF the Mississippi river boats pre-
vented his company from doing So The
Illinois Central quotes the same rates from
Memphis to New Orleans that the boats do,
which commodities IN question net the rail-
road only about half cent ton per mile
There is said 10 be no profit TO the Illinois
Central in this business, whereas il might
realize something on what it did carry If it
raised the rate cents a hundred pounds
There was some sparring over the case
Many OF the roads wanted to refer the oues-
ton to arbitration, but President Clarke
said that no good could come OF this. He
had authority to say then and there what
his road would do, be would order the rate
raised the very moment that President Fish
OF the Illinois Central would agree to do the
same. Thus the matter rested without any
conclus on being reached.
PENALTIES A DEAD LETTER.
"a thing that sho we'd what penalties
amount to in the southern association was
the treatment OF a violation Of sn agree
ment by two of the roads, said to
be the Louisville and Nashville and
the Kansas City, Memphis and Birm-
ingham. 1t was agreed that there should
be no milling in transit south Of the Ohio
river. These two companies Ignored the
rule and allowed milling in transit privi-
ieges ct Nashville aud elsew here. It Is
| understood by railroad men that this is
| but one OF the many forms of rate cutting
and so the commissioner held when be
learned the particulars. He assessed the
offending roads $4,000 apiece. They COM
planned at the meeting and motion was
made that the fine he RENTED. After
| some discussion the motion Is said to have
been agreed to. Whereupon one Of those
| present. echoed the sentiments of the rest
| when he said: Hereafter our company
| will grant milling in transit privileges
| whenever and wherever we see fit These
| two incidents do not look much like har-
mony. The only two questions that were
| settled were unImportant."