The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-14
NEW FREIGHT TARIFF
Merchants Anxiously Awaiting
Full Figures.
ALL ASK WHAT SPOKANE GETS.
The Benefit Depends Largely on the
Reduction Given Spokane-What
Hill Promised That City.


universal topic of conversation among
merchants during the day. At all mer-
camille houses there was a general COM
parison of rates as far as it vas possible.
but none of the merchants were able to Sc
cure copies of the tariffs. The supply that
reached this city was only sufficient to
furnish railroad men with copies. and
while dealers were anxious to get them 1t
was impossible.
A number Of merchants were inter-
viewed concerning the effect of the reduc-
tons on their business and the subject
resolved itself into relative one. the
benefit gained by Seattle depending largely
on the rates made to Spokane, this city's
sharpest competitor in territory east of the
mountains. Following is the substance of
what was said:
John l. simpson, of the Seattle Hardware
COmpany-l think the rates are all right and
satisfactory for us east OF the mountains. as l
understand the Snoianc rate is the terminal
with the return local added. Iron, nails, pipe
aud hardware are reduced considerably. The
cut IS principally on goods which We have been
shipping around the Horn, but start is made
ana think the result will be that we will ulti-
mately get the some rate as San Francisco.
j. b. McDougall. of Tie McDougall-South.
wick Company-The new rates do not affect our
lines Of goods. They have only reduced the
rates on goods which came around the Horn by
water. Go and see the hardware men. They
are the ones that are benefited.
W. Marriott, Of the Cudahy Packing Company
The new rates affect US slightly, making IL
cent better rate from Missouri river pointA We
reduced all pork products One-eighth OF u cent
pound todsy on sccouut OF them.
Z. &. Neufelder, vice president OF Schwabacher
Prne e, - 4
parison yet. as We have not got the tariffs. Then.
the new rates are ouiy from Chicago and Missis-
sippi aud Missouri river points. and We will
have to study the rates east OF Chicago aud add
them. Before the rates were made from sea-
board to seaboard. The reduction in canned
goods is an important one.
d. B. Jackson, of Webb & Col can't talk
rates intelligently as yet. 10 We are not able to
get the tariff sheets. We must know the rate to
Spokane before we AN tell how much benefit
We get out OF il.
A. j. Fisken, of Fisher e. McDonald-We have
not got the tariffs yet, aud can't tell much about
them. There is quite a reduction in canned
goods. which is important to grocerymen.
Regarding the effect of the new lumber
rates leading shinSle manufacturer said:
The way look at it is that shinSle manufact-
urers will not lie benefited by it. During the
past season many iOggers have devoted them.
selves chic fly to getting out as much cedar a.
they could. the result being that the supply of
cedar logs was large. With the stimulous now
given to FIR lumber, loggers will not take
such trouble to Gull ou- the cedar as formerly
and there will be a large proportion of fir logs
marketed. In addition TO that the increased
shipments of fir lumber will take just 80 many
cars from the shinge traffic, which will be
always limited by the number of cars the rail-
roads can furnish
By a misprint in the telegram from st.
Paul yesterday it was published that tho
reduction on freight from ST. Paul to Spo-
kane was so per cent. when it should have
read 90 per cent.
The following from Tacoma shows the
difference between the hopes of the Spo-
kane people and the concessions so far
actually secure.
TACOMA, Feb. l3-ISpecial. THE new trans
continental schedule OF tariff, of the Great
Northern, Northern Pacific aud Union Pacific
published In the Posr-1NTELLIGENCER today,
will prove very disappointing to Spokane, ac-
cording to the statements of member of the
business mems committee of that place, which
waited upon President Hill, OF the Great North
err, when he was last on the Coast. The result
OF MI. Hits conference with the Spokane bust.
ness men was no, made pu bic, but he at that
time convinced the committee that "Spokane
would be handsomely cared for" One member
of this committee says:
He told Us that he proposed to see that spo.
kane received heavy reductions in tariffs. He
said he did not care what the othe: roads did, he
meant to give us the reductions we were after
Further, Mr.. Hill said that he did not wish to
cripple any other of the transcOntnentai roads
BY making sweeping reductions at this time
although, he said, he was in q position To do So
IN oth on, woIas, ne gave US 70 understand that
use street saying. He said he was willing 10
make a iair rate and abide by it. All that he
asked OF the other roads, he said. was to be let
alone in taxing care OF spokane. He also con-
ves ed the idea that at q much lower rate than
could be charged by other roads. the Great
Northern could realize handsome profit.
Speaking of the business Of the Coast, the
Spokane gentleman said:
Mr.. Hill said that from the figures compiled
by his accountants, the entire Coast did q busi-
ness, in round figures, of &30,00o,00O annually.
Of this amount, X appears that the southern
what amount Mr.. Hill said his roai would get
out of the Coast trade, but il was impressed
upon my mind ut the time that he Jumped of
all the roads, outside OF the southern Pacific. a.
sharing about equally.
All told. the Spokane gentleman had gath
cred from the conference with Mr.. Hill that,
while he recognized his transeontinentai rivals
aud was bent on maintaining lair living tariff.
for them, he in no wise admitted that his com
petitors ranked in the Great Northern's class so
tar a. cost of construction, expense of mainte-
nance aud operation were concerned.
The spokane business man, il would seem,
credits MI HUI at being at liberty to act in
tvidualiv As he sees H., aud therefore will pro-
vide the desired reductions in the Great North
erns local schedule, as intima,ed in the Posi-
today might be the case. Ii is
Claimed that Mr.. Hill fully appreciates the gen
srosity of the spokane people IN providing Tor
his road free riSht-o.-wAy through the city.
v orth several millions of dollars
Finishing Up the Great Northern.