The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-24
DISTANCE DOES NOT COUNT.
CharleStOn'S advantageous Rates on
Fertilizers 10 AIl Points.

The Fertilizer Men Preparing a State
ment of the Freight Rates With a
View 70 Making a Fight Before the
Railroad Commission - Fertilizers
Shipped to Points 400 Miles From
Charleston at the Same Rate That
They Go $50 Miles From Savannah.
Charleston Has Other Advantages
in Production.
1t seems that the unearthing of freight
Determinations against Savannah is be-
coming almost an every day matter The
latest OF these is statement now being
prepared by Mr.. j. w. Huger Of the Com
mercial Guano Company, showing how
determinations are made against Savan-
nah on freight on fertilizers in a manner
that would seem to seriously injure the
trade, from the fact that the cost Of pro-
ducing fertilizers here is greater than it
IS at Charleston, the point in favor Of
which the determinations are said TO be
made.
The statement is a lengthy one and has
not yet been completed, but it will go into
all the details and make comparisons of
rates on fertilizers from Savannah and
charleston TO all points in this section.
Inc statement, IL is understood, will then
De used IN an argument before the com
mission to urge some action that will put
savannah on an equal footing with other
points IN respect to the fertilizer trade.
SOME FACTS POINTED OUT.
Some of the figures may be interesting,
and they undoubtedly prove the truth of
the statement that distances makes little
az 70 I'D
lake, for example, Bowens Mills. point
on the Abbeville and WayCross road, in
Southern Georgia. The distance from Sa-
Nannan Is l5l miles, and from Charleston
via the Georgia Southern and Florida,
sam and AbbeviIle and Waycross 81
miles. The freight from Charleston is 81 G2
per ton and from Savannah s.. 63. From
Charleston via Savannah the distance is
$50 miles and from Savannah l15, a diff
ference of ll5 miles, yet the freight is the
same per ton from both points.
Harrison, on the Wrightsville and Ten
nile railroad, is l45 miles from Savannah
and 23l from Charleston, a difference of
80 miles, vet the freight rate is identical
from both points, being S2.s7. Knoxville,
Ca, is 254 miles from Savannah, on the
Atlanta and Florida railroad, and 39S
miles from Charleston, vet the rate per
ton on fertilizers is the same from both
points, $3.3s per ton.
SOUTHWEST GEORGIA POINTS.
Points in Southwestern Georgia and
in Alabama, which are ll5 miles nearer
TO Savannah than to Charleston. receive
fertilizers from both these points at the
same rate per ton. Some of these points,
the rates TO which have been tabulated,
are Albany, Waycross, Americas, Val
dosta, Columbus, Dawson, Ozark Troy.
Admission, Montgomery, Selma and Meri-
dian Mics 49, 1
nearer to Savannah than they are to
Charleston, yet the freight rate on fertili-
zers from both is the same
Charleston is given the great advantage
in that fertilizers can be made cheaper
there, Mr.. Huger says, than is the case
IN Savannah. Expenses in Charleston
are less, and Charleston has the phos-
phate rock almost at her door, while that
used at the Savannah mills must be
brought here either from South Carolina
or Florida. The freight on this rock and
the extra expense encountered here make
the cost of production greater, and when
Charleston is given a more advantageous
rate of freight in that it is farther from
these points mentioned than Savannah is.
the Savannah market is practically shut
off
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
1t is the same way with South Carolina
ton things are by no means equalized by
giving Savannah the same rate, but
Charleston gets less rate to nearer
points to it than Savannah does The
fertilizer interests are not protesting so
much about this although, they hold it is
unfair, as the fact that they are being
shut out in many instance from their
own legitimate territory. They want the
legitimate territory that belongs to them
around Savannah, and claim they should
have freight rates which will enable
them to hold it.
One of the most apparent and heavy
determinations is seen in the fact that
Mount Vernon. which is ninety-one miles
from Savannah and 405 from Charleston
the way fertilizers is shipped via the
South Carolina railroad, receives ferti-
hzers from Charleston at the same rate
as from Savannah The rate from both
points Is 1929 per ton. 1t is also stated
that fertilizers have been shipped to
Hampton on the Central railroad from
Charleston via Atlanta at the same rate
as from Savannah.
Several capitalists have been contem-
plating putting up another plant here,
and might have done so before this, had
II not been for the existing freight rates.
They claim it will be cheaper for them to
go TO Charleston, and Charleston will
probably get the factory.
WHAT THEY LEAD TO.
Just such Determinations as these are
what leads to the fights before railroad
commissions, the formation of comb
nations against railroads which be-
come parties to such discrimina-
ttons and which bring about the
formation of freight bureaus among
the mercantile interests for their
own protection. There has been
some talk about the formation Of such a
bureau IN Savannah. and of late the mer-
chants here have begun TO give the matter
some serious consideration. 1t may be
that in time such a bureau will be estab-
lshed. 1T will no doubt be advocated by
the mercantile and commercial bodies of
the city as a movement for the benefit
of ALL