The morning call., 1893-05-09
BECKMAN'S CUFF.
On California Roads i'm
General.
But the Southern Pacific in Particular.
A Complaint of Discrimination
From Fresno County.

At the meeting of the Railroad Commits
sioners held yesterday afternoon very lit
tie business was transacted, though a
matter or two of importance was ere
ferred" to sundry officers of the Southern
Pacific
Messrs. Beckman and Rea were present,
Commissioner Litchfield absent
Mr.. Beckman came forward with his re-
port of go days of travel over the State. a
voluminous document eulogizing the rail-
roads of California and dwelling minutely
on the good which they have been doing
for themselves aud the general public in
the matter Of driving new spikes, read
iusting erratic switches. regravellng de-
generated roadbeds and building new sta
lions at the meiropoli of Shasta and
Contra Costa counties.
Mr.. Beckman further enlightens the
public Of the valuable extensions made by
The monopoly during the year Of 1892, which
in mileage amount 10 fifty-four miles.
The Feather River bridge is to be re-
paired and there is rather a cheerful out
look for some of the old piling of the Ala
media Creek drawbriGge being substituted
by teredo-proOf timbers.
Il have" adds the gentleman in his re-
z
of the California roads and ind them
equal to those of any Of the Eastern lines"
Ihea, as a last burly blow aimed at the
expanding belt of the Traffic Association,
and to lend verisimiitude % an other
wise bald and uninteresting narrative, Mr.
Beckman finishes his article by saying: al
have made mary Inquiries during my
travels relative 10 freights and fares. and
find very little If any complaint regarding
them"
Unfortunately for Mr.. Beckman there
WAS attached by PIN TO the copy Of his
statements letter signed SHAW Bros"
which does not tend to prove that the peO-
pie of the interior are OF the same opinion
as regards freights and fares as the Rail-
road Commissioners.
SnaW Bros, who are leading merchants
and lumbermen OF Raymond. Fresno
County. recently complained to The South
ern PaeIhG against unjust discrimination
against shippers IN that section, Who were
obliged TO pay excessive rates on cord
wood and wheat from Raymond to Fresno,
while the rates Of the Sanger and Porters-
vile branch Of the road for these same
commodities arc about half those of the
RaymOnd-Fresn0 branch.
In reply the kindhearted Southern Pa
clic reduced the tariff from Raymond to
MADEIRA, where very little if any coal is
shipped and no wheat.
Messrs. Shaw Il Co. are asking the Rail-
road Commissioners what good 10 is going
TO DO them to have a reduced late to a
pace where they never ship anything, and
the commission has promptly referred the
matter TO Mr.. Smurr, who will probably
await the result Of the next seasons forest
fires before answering the shippers COM
muUicatiOn.
In closing their letter the firm mentioned
state: "Our firm alone could ship 1000
cords of wood per year did we have the
benefit OF competing rates"
In justice to Mr.. Beckman it might be
stated here that there is no data in his
statement to show that he visited Ray
mond.
'ln travelling over the coast division"
said the commissioner. in his report, Il
found about 800 men working on the Santa
Margarita and San Luis Obispo extension.
There was also large force working on
the bridge across the Merced River, in the
San Joaquin Valley"
1t is learned that there is at least one
railroad in the State that does not believe
in Oppression-the Eel River and Eureka
Railroad. John W. Vance, president OF the
organization, states that freight IL carried
over his line for from IA cents TO 2k cents
per ton per mile.
Traffic Manager Gray sets forth in
communication that no answer will be re-
turned to the complaint of the Frank
Tanning Company Of Redwood City rela-
tive 10 the rates on leather until the return
oil Attorney Martin from the East.