The morning call., 1893-02-15

lively IdlS WIN TIC ndbL6I5 pl dDUlSHttiE
the Railroad Commission. reducing local
rates and bringing in competitive lines OF
traffic.
Do the shippers uphold him?
From the following interviews 1t would
seem that they did. and that they are very
hopeful for the success of his excellent
plans.
F. W. VAN SICKLEN-I indorse every
movement that the Traffic Association has
made, and | have perfect confidence in Mr..
Leeds. AS 10 the attitude of San Fran
eisc0's merchants upon transportation
questions, what better example and explain
alton could you have than their action the
other day before the Board of Trade
When the president, Mr. lie Count, in his
report favored the Southern Pacific Rail-
road, all the representative merchants rose
up in Indignation and expunged such por-
tions of the report as approved Of the
company'S action. In saying that indorse
the Traffic Association l say eVeTy thing, in
GLIDING a condemnation Of the Railroad
Commission. The association has accom-
plished a great deal ard when Mr.. Leeds
gets back, which will he soon. more develop
ments will ensue.
BARRY BALDWIN-Now is the time
and opportunity for the Legislature to free
California from the bonds which fetter her
very life. What the merchants of San
Francisco want is lower local, that is. inte-
rior rates. and that is the point toward
which all effort should be directed. There
is no possible doubt about the question
| San Francisco trade is being strangled by
exOTbitanI rates charged on freight to inte-
TiOr towns. There is no chance fer a local
merchant TO supply the needs OF the cOuu-
try, because the Southern Pacific Company
has made virtually prohibitiye rates, and
allowing Eastern trade to creep in. 1t is
cold fact THAI goods can be supplied in the
country cheaper from the East than from
| San Francisco. Now apparently there is a
chance for emancipation if the Legislature
| will only work for California. Many of the
representatives have been elected from the
| people direct. and if they will they can free
California and open up her trade.
W. II. LITTLE-The local rates are too
| high, especially to Southern California. 1t
costs more to ship goods there than to
bring them out from the East. We have
lost nearly all trade south of Kern County.
l can ship from Chicago to New York for
SO cents, but from here to Los Angeles the
rate is 81 20. The Railroad Commission
don't seem to do any good; they have never
lowered rates since they were established.
IRWIN ]. TRUMAN-The Southern
Pacific Railroad Company has maintained
its same rates since it was first established
Here is the schedule showing that the rates
are the same as when the road first went TO
Virginia City. The Railroad Commission
| ers are good workers for the railroad COM
pany-as good as they could ever desire
| They have never done five cents worth of
| good, as far as | or any other shipper can
see. In fact they are positive detriment
| because when in former days we went to
the railroad company to obtain any special
rates or make any special arrangement we
could perhaps treat with them. but now we
are referred to the Commissioners. who do
nothing. The Assembly can be the saliva
ton of the city II it will. But whether it
| will OF not depends on the individual hon
esty and independence of the members.
ALONZO A. WATKINS-lt costs as
much to get goods TO Fresno from here as
to get them here from New York. How is
| that? Simply because the railroad COM
| pany controls the road TO Fresno and bleeds
| the merchant all ne can STAND. mat con-
| pany has gog the trade of San Francisco in
its hand and Is gripping the life out of it,
| THE CALL IS right; what we want is lower
local rates, and l hope that Sacramento will
| give US some relief As to the Railroad
| Commission, believe in having the CON-
mission, but its members should be selected
! from the whole State in the same way as
| our Governor aud other State officers are
| elected, ana not from particular districts.
| The present system allows the railroad TO
select its men and Is generally contrary to
good public policy.
G. c. WICKSON-I have no right to
speak about freight rates, have l? l am
| only a passenger, a shipper and they have
no rights 10 California al ali, have they?
| The railroad Is sill making money they tell
me. What is that | hear about shippers
being charged more for freight to Fresno
than il eOstIO bring the same freight from
the East. Well. there is only one road to
/ Fresno and many roads from the East and
that may explain the little discrepancy.
| You may put me down, il you like, as the
! only man in San Francisco who is perfectly
/ content With the local rates because / have
! no rights, and therefore l continue 10 fill
orders hoping that some little profit may
/ be spared me by the railroad company, If
they can afford to leave Inc anything out Of
| their profits.
w. T. SAWYER-All rates are very high
| from San Francisco and we are shipping
| great work and the merchants appreciate it,
/ | don't believe al all in the Railroad Com
/ mission, and the sooner II is out OF exist
/ ence the better. | hardly ike 10 say Just
/ what l think of the members, but their
| hest judges are their own worthless records.
| We ali need a reduction in freight rates
| badly, and the Sacramento Legislature has
| now something by means Of which II could
| help us if 1t would. Rates in Northern Ore
| gOn have been lowered Ivy com petition, and
] sg,.s nfsf hutta Ffuh M
| own idea is that the coast steamship lines
/ are in a cOmbina ton with the railroads, as
we can get very little satisfaction out Of
them.
! L. GUGGENHEIM-As far as one line Of
| business is concerned the local rates do not
| Cypress US, but leave us able TO cope with
| any one from the East. But coming as /
! do from the East l see only too plainly the
| utter uselessness If your Railroad Commits
sion. The work Of a Railroad Commission
! is TO adjust a tariff, having collected the
| proper data as Mr.. Leeds did, AID then allow
| the railroad company to come in and show
| cause why that tariff should not stand. As
| it is at present the commission simply takes
| the railroads tariff aud then graciously
| allows the complaining shipper to come TO
| il and go away again. The whole system is
upside down, tOpsy-tuTyy, and needs adjust
| ment by legislation.
GASKILL & REGAIN Cheap rates to
the Interior of the State is what we want.
The railroad company cuts our threats by
giving the country the same rates $ Us. and
so gives the Eastern man chance to make
us 10 per celt hetter than we can. And the
firm thar can do q 10 per cent business is
not born yet in San Francisco. The diff
Guilty in the rates Is the difference made
between carloads and parts OF carload
There are comparatively few carload buyers
in the city, and the rest suffer. The San
Francisco drummer can't go as the Eastern
one TO two or three towns to make up a
carload. because they say it is too near town
aud they can get their order from the city
direct.