The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-10-04
CUT RATES FROM ASTORIA
Beginning Of a Lively War with the
Union Pacific.
THE DErRIOK LINES BOLD STAND
A Prospect for Reasonable Charges on
Goods to this city at Last
Opened up.

San Francisco, Oct. 3.-Good healthy
competition between Portland, Or, ant
San Francisco has been the result o
a freight war which is liable to termln
ate in establishing such rates between
Oregon and California as will be of ma
terial benefit to shippers The George
Detrick Company having entered It's
steamers as active competitors of the
Union Pacific, the fight has assumed
proportions unlocked for by merchants
and some lively competition is looked
for The George Detrick Company has
issued a circular as follows from the Of
flee. 1t is signed by G.. Detrick, Jr.,
president:
"The question now before the mer-
chants of San Francisco, Astoria, and
Portland is, will you aid the Union Pa
cifc in running off the opposition and
once more place it in their power TO
charge you whatever they see fit? In
other words allow them in short time
to make up for the money lost during
the seventeen months we have been
running. One thing worth remembering
is that the Union Pacific, no matter
what they say or promise, will never be
in favor of low rates from San Fran
cisco to Astoria and Portland. Every
ton of freight that goes from San Fran
cisco to Astoria and Portland reduces
the amount of transcontinental freight,
and it is easily understood that they
would prefer to haul carload of
freight from the East for $4OO to one
from San Francisco for $25.
To show how the present contract
system works to the disadvantage of
the shipper, the first of this year we
quoted an Astoria concern rate of
1925 per ton on tin-plate and got one
shipment, the Union Pacific then maxi
ing contract at 50. When the Union
Pacific made their cut to 81 per ton to
Astoria they included tin-plate. but
their San Francisco agent wrote them
that he had contracted for all the tin
plate at 50 per ton, and as a conse-
quence the rate-sheet was reissued
leaving out tin-plate If the shipper
had refused to sign a contract or con-
tinued to ship by the opposition he
would now be able to get a rate of 81
per ton on the Union Pacific steamers
instead of 50.
For the benefit of all shippers we are
going to compare the rates granted diff
ferent houses on the same articles. We
cannot do it all at once and therefore
will have to give few at time. Even
if you decide that you had better re-
new your contract with the Union Pa
cific, we think that it would be to your
advantage to wait and see what others
in your line are paying before doing so.
1t is our intention to devote our circu-
lar letters during October to the spe-
clal rates and rebates on the Union Pa
cific steamers and during November to
the rebate on the railroad division of
the Union Pacific.
Clatsop Mill Company of Astoria and
San Francisco, has rate of rs cents
per ton on "box shocks" from Astoria
to San Francisco According to the
Western classification, which is used on
the Union Pacific steamers, "box
shocks" take a fourthclass rate. The
Union Pacifc's fourth class rate to
contractors is 30 cents per hundred
pounds, or sc per ton. If they handle
one article of fourth class freight for
the Clatsop Mill Company at SA cents
per 100 pounds. or Is cents per ton, why
cannot they do the same for you?
When you renew your contract ask
them this question, and refuse to sign
again unless they will give you the
benefit of the rates they are charging
your competitors