The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-04
The Board of Trade Appoints o Com
mittee to Investigate the
Subject
Some Members Think the Inter-
state Commerce Law Has
Been Violated.
Spokane Got y Reduction by Continual
Hammoring Away Helena and
Great Falls Rates.

Al the special meeting of the Board OF
Trade last night the question of reduction
in railroad freight rates was discussed. A
committee on transportation WAS ap-
ointed by Chairman Stedman to invssti-
gate tho subject In all its bearings. This
committee was given unlimited time. as 1t
Is not the intention to plunge into the
matter until thorough knowledge OF the
situation is had. On this committee
arc II. NJ. Parchen, Peter Whine.
August Weisenhorn, A. M. Hotter
and Louis Hillebrsoht Al first il was
thought best to put some heavy shippers.
who are not members OF the board, on tho
committee. but this idea was abandoned on
the suggestion Of several membsrs. In
putting the matter before the members the
chairman said that the present freight
rates were too high. He believed that BY
concerted action they could be reduced.
which would result in great benefit to
Helena. Nothing could be lost by trying.
Mr. stsdman said he was in hopes that
some ono would appear at the meeting with
statistios which would throw some light on
the subject with Helena as q distributing
point.
H. N. PaYchen took the same view OF the
question and believed that something
should be done to encourage the movement
to make Helena jobbing center. He said
that IL cost 80 per cent more to ship from
Great Falls to Helena than from here to
Great Falls. Spokane Falls had hammered
away. said Mr.. Parchen, until that town
got rate from the east the saue az Hell
ena although II was something over 400
miles west of Helena. He did not, how
ever, think 1t was good time to agitate the
question. as he believed tho Great Northern
and Northern Pacific were not in condition
to do much reducing in freight rates.
Spokane got hor reduction not because the
Great Northern had reached there but
because she had worked for IT. and
got il before the Hill road went into the
town. Mr.. Parchsn said the interstate
commerce law must have been violated In
some way. and that IL cost more to ship
from Helena to Spokane than II did from
New York to Spokane.
| F. p. Sterling said he knew one Helena
me chant in particular who had told him
that the Great Northern and Northern
Pacific roads were shipping from Milwaukee
to Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma for less
than he could ship from Helena to the
same points. Mr.. Sterling said the mer-
chant referred TO was dealer in wet goods
|
members also we're interested in the sub.
iect as consumers. The Spokane rating,
he believed, was violation of the inter
state commerce law and he thought the
proper influence could be brought to bear
on the roads.
Tom Martin thought that perhaps II
would be better to advance some of the
rates and secure q reduction on outgoing
rates from Helena. This disposed of the
rate question for the evening.
| A memorial to congress was adopted
asking for the passage Of n bill seRreRatinR a
portion of the National Park 30 railroad
may be built into the New World mining
district. This was done at the request OF
the Livingston board of trade. A commit
tee consisting of Secretary Cox. II. M.
Parchen. +. p. Sterling and A. W. Lyman
was appointed to act with the Livingston
people.
The board also urged the Rimini road
committee who are taking subscriptions to
hurry the work and report at an carly date.