The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-08
THE FIGHT RENEWED.
Spokane Merchants Say the n. P.
Still Discriminates.
THEY APPEAL, TO THE COURT
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific Ac-
cused of Ignoring Interstate
Commissioners' Order.

The merchants of Spokane yesterday re-
newed the fight in the courts TO compel
the Northern Pacific railroad TO cease the
discrimination which they allege it has
been praeticlng against them, and they
make use OF the fact that the road is in the
hands OF the United States court by bring
ing it before Judge Hanford. A petition
signed by thirty-tive of the leading whole
sale. retail and commission merchants of
that city was filed in the United States
court asking that the receivers of both the
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific roads
be ordered to comply with the order of the
interstate commerce commission in the
case tried before it in 1891, in which tlSe
relation between rates to Spokane and
Coast points were defined.
The petitioners state that they are
citizens and business men of Spokane,
Wash, and that all of them have a pecunl-
airy interest in securing to that city fair
and reasonable freight rates.
They state that for the last fifteen years,
or ever since the Northern Pacific railroad
has been completed through. to the Sound,
IL has been the policy of the management
of the road to discriminate against them
in the matter of freight rates.
The petition represents that for many
years the rule by which the traffic mana
gers OF that railroad made their freight
rates on articles of merchandise from
Eastern terminals to Spokane was the
through rate 10 Western terminals, plus
the local rate back TO Spokane. As the
local rate back TO Spokane from Western
terminals exceeded the through rate in
al cases, the consequence has been that
! shippers at Spokane on all classes Of mer-
| chandlse we're compelled TO pay twice, and
| in some instances three times, as much as
on articles shipped from Eastern terminal
/ points as Seattle. Portland and Tacoma
we're required to pay on the same articles
| from the same points.
The petitioners further represent that
the matter of freight rates maintained by
the railroad TO Spokane was investigated
| by the interstate commerce commission in
| Isgi, and that body found that the rail-
road officials claim that they were CON-
/ PEELED by the pressure of water COMPETE
sion to pursue this policy was largely a
/ fiction, and that it was only upon a small
| line of articles that there was such CON-
| petition. The commission further found
that. considering the distance of Spokane
| from the Pacific ocean, the disparity in
/
| be transported by water was such as TO
| create an unreasonable discrimination
! against Spokane and In favor of Western
! terminal points. The commission, as the
| result Of its examination. ordered the rail-
/ road company 10 readjust its rates, SO a.
| to charge Spokane no greater rate than 81
| per cent. OF the rate charged to Western
/ terminals on ali merchandise not truly
/ subject TO water competition. and so as 10
| charge Spokane reasonable rate on mer.
| ohAndlse which was subject to water com
| petition.
The petitioners further represent that
I this order was made to apply 10 the Union
| Pacific road, as well as to the Northern
/ Pacific. bat that neither of these roads has
/ attempted 10 comply with il. but that the
/ determinations praeticed against Spokane.
/ with some few exceptions, have oeen con
I unued without regard to the order.
/ Tie petitioners then give a detailed
+ statement OF the rates from Chicago to
/ Spokane, and from Spokane 10 Chicago.
/ shoSing that the rate from Chicago 10
/ Spokane is considerably greater than from
/ Spokane 10 Chicago.
The petitioners therefore respectfully
/ pray that, as the foregoing roads are in the
/ hands Of the courts through their receiy.
I ers, the court investigate the matter OF
/ freight rates. as maintained by TIC receiv-
/ ers, and thai the officials 5e required n
t adjust the same SO as TO be relative and
1 with,n themselves be reasonable. aud that
/ 20 greater charge oe permitted from Spo-
kane 10 Eastern terminals than from
1 Eastern terminals 10 Spokane, exceps on
suea articles as are truly subject 20 water
/ eonpetitiom