The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-16
THE CANADIANS WAR.
To Punish Hill and Bring South
ern Pacific to Terms.
PICKING UP AMERICAN PLuMs.
Trsekage Over Great Scrthern Coast
Lines and Au-raIs Line 90 San
Francisco Wanted.

The talk among railroad men Is the out
come Of the recent Transconsinentai Asso-
cIation meeting and the insistence of the
Csnsdlan Pacific upon difTerentiais in its
favor. Most of those conversant with the
situation believe that the recent restora-
tion OF rates will be annuiIed and the war
kept up until some agreement can be fixed
between the Great Northern and its Cana
dian rival. One weli-postei man said that
better time for a war could not be found
than the present. because there is no bust
ness 70 amount to anything and what the
roads would lose by cutting the rates to
those prevailing last summer would not be
very much.
The Great Northern. which was the first
to make the cut last summer. IS nos the
one most anxious TO restore rates. The
Northern Pacific and Union Pacific being
in the hands of receivers are now in better
shape than ever 10 maintain a war. while
the reserve fund accumulated by the Cana
dian Pacific during the life OF its govern
ment subsidy enables it to maintain .
most aggressive attitude.
The aggressiveness of the Canadian is
chiefly directed Al the Great Northern, but
various additional motives are assigned.
Il
might have, some say that while
il might seem that that road would
lose money By cutting the rates of the
other roads and carrying passengers at less
than cost. the Canadian Pacific people re-
gard every dollar they get on American
business as so much gained. 1t does not
have 10 sacrifice its local business par
ticle whenever il makes these cuts on
a.. - A..x - l. -
it is not amenabIe to the provisions of the
interstate commerce Law. especially in re-
gard to the long and short haul matter.
So long. therefore. as it has to run its
trains any how, every dollar of business il
can get away from the American roads is
just that much picked up out Of foreign
territory.
Again, others believe the Canadian has
some purpose in view in making war upon
the American roads. and the one most
apparent is the desire TO bring the
Great Northern to terms. One man
said that he heard a Canadian Pacific off,
cial say: when il m Hill completed his
line to Seattle we heard he made cracks
to the effect that now he proposed to get
into the Canadian s china shop by shutting
of its st. Paul connection at Gretna
Well. when Mr.. Hill comes back into our
china shop and xes up the broken dishes
We will talk with him." This is surmised
10 mean that the Canadian wants to come
INTO Seattle over the Great Northern coast
line from Whatcom on pro rata basis and
also wants a favorable rating over the
Winnipeg-St. Paul route. 1t is thought
that the hope of being able to compel Mr..
Hill to accede TO these terms has restrained
the Canadian from making an arrange
ment 10 run its trains into this city over
the Lake Shore road.
But the savage fight OF the Canadian in
San Francisco business is rather more of a
mystery. Some surmise that Ii is trying
tn force the Southern Pacific to pro rate
on all rail business and 70 sell round trip
tickets coming one way and going the
other. the same as 1t does with the North
ern Pacific. This the Southern has stead
lily refused to do heretofore. regarding the
Canadian as an interloper, and rs having
nothing to throw TO the Southern on other
business. Ii pro rates with the Northern
Pacific because that road enables il to get
into Eastern Washington and Montana on
fruits. wines. canned goods, etc.
The Great Northern. however, is also
out in the cold on California all-rail busi-
ness. because il has no connection with
the Southern Mt Portland like the North
ern Pacific. When asked WHY the Great
Northern did not Join hands with the
Canadian in the San Francisco fight, a
we!-informed railroad man said yester-
day: 1.-The Great Northern is afraid. The
Southern Pacific today controls the freight
business Of the entire Pacific coast, and il
could lay down New York freight here
cheaper than any other line. 1t can get
stun brought here from San Francisco by
steamer for 10 cents a ton. and its New
York New Orleans steamer line can make
money at - cents ton. Its haul from
San Francisco TO New Orleans can be made
for 80 cents. making total rate between
Seattle and New York of 81 cents a ton.
IL has solicited and taken business here at
that rate when the local roads thought
they had cinch on the stuff at as cents.
80 the Great Northern does not want to
get into a freight war with the Southern
Pacific, especially at this time of year,
when lake navigation has ceased"