The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-11
The FREIGHT BUREAU,
An Exposition Of It's Workings and the
Benefits to be Derived.

dent-rhe Crescent City Reaching Out
Into savannah's Territory on the
Florida Central and Peninsular.
Editor Morning News: While all the
people of Savannah may now, In a general
way, realize the need of a freight and
transportation bureau from what has been
written and told about the character of
such organizations, few, 1 am satisfied
have the slightest idea of the vast scope
embraced in their operations and the DO
tential influence exerted by them in pro-
tecttng and propagating the trade and
commerce of cities and how many cities
have, or are now seeking, to provide
themselves with these Indispensable ad-
juncts to commercial life and activity.
The first anniversary of the New Or
leans freight and transportation bureau
occurred Oct J. and on Oct. the reports
of President Trufant of its board of
management and Commissioner NJ. H.
Masters in charge of the work, were pub
lished in the New Orleans Picayune. In
his report President Trufaht, after gen
eralizing the bureaus work, said:
From this you will see that much more
has been accomplished, gentlemen, than
even the most sanguine could have an
ticipated, thanks to the honest, capable
work of our commissioner. The recogni-
ton of his ability, his fairness and ear
nestness has brought to our assistance
the cooperation OF the railroad lines cen
tering in this city, recognizing as they
do that, conducted upon the principles
outlined by the commissioner in a pre-
vious report, the bureau must be of great
help to them in widening and extending
their traffic, to say nothing of the ad-
vantage OF dealing with organized COM
merce. Every interest must stand to-
gether. Let us bring such pressure of
the united commerce of this port as will
wipe out any freight determinations or
any hurtful legislation that may be found
TO exist"
Further on in the report, referring to
the bureaus relation to other organiza-
tons for the advancement of the bust
ness interests of New Orleans, President
Trufant adds:
THE bureau of freight and transporta-
ton has proved a much-needed adjunct
to each and every one of these organiza-
tions, and has in the year past taken
up at different times for each the adjust
ment of freight rates and classification
with a view to assist in the promotion of
their interests"
And again, as showing it's value and i'm
portance to every class of citizens, the
president says THE working out of the
purpose for which the bureau was organ
ized will therefore, beyond doubt, prove
of great benefit directly to our merchants
and bread-winners, and indirectly to our
property holders and capitalists.
ters, which follows that of President Tru-
FAINT. details at length the work of the
bureau In It's volume and variety, COM
pretending in their extent, as much con-.
Germ in protesting against the improper
handling of empty egg cases ETC." as in
demanding of powerful express compa-
MES that New Orleans shall not be dis
eliminated against in charges upon ex-
press matter, as shown by the succeeding
extract:
Complaint Regarding Improper Han
ding of Empty Egg Cases, etc.-During
April one of the largest commission firms
in this city called our attention to trouble
they were having with their egg cases,
1t seems these empties were receiving
very little attention as regards proper
and prompt delivery and were roughly
handled. The company complained of was
the Wells-Fargo Express. The matter
was made a subject of correspondence
with Superintendent Chisteson, of that
company, and we are pleased to state
that he manifested great interest in the
matter, at once made a personal investi-
cation of the trouble and applied the
proper remedies, resulting in much better
service and no further complaint"
Express Charges-By reference to the
April report you will remember that brief
mention was made regarding express
rates from New York to New Orleans.
which seemed to be excessive as com
and st. Louis, for instance We after
wards went into this subject very thor
oughly and found first-class rates from
New York to Chicago to be $3.50, to St
Louis SO and to New Orleans s. per 100
pounds. Based on both mileage and first
class freight rate from New York to those
cities, the express rate from New York to
New Orleans should be $38S. However, we
asked for rate of "a. In taking this mat
ter up with the express companies we
stated (and l believe correctly that on
a rate of 81 enough additional business
would be handled to more than cOmpen-
safe for the reduction. The first-class rate
by steamer from New York is 70 cents
per 100 pounds. Goods shipped by express
are delivered, say, on the third day, while
those shipped by steamer on the fifth day
In consideration, therefore, of the small
difference in time and the great differ
ence in rate, the steamers are, whenever
practicable, given the business. Com
munications were addressed to all the eX-
press companies doing business in this
city. The Pacific and Wells-Fargo COM
panies replied that they had very little
interest in the matter but would be will
ing to do whatever the American and
Southern Express companies thought
best. Considerable correspondence on the
subject has passed between the bureau
and the two last named companies, and
we now have the assurance that at the
which is called to meet in New York in
the near future the matter will have con-
sideration, resulting, We hope, in the 81
rate being established
Cracker Rates--In the latter part Of
June one of our cracker manufacturers
called the attention of the bureau to the
fact that the rate on crackers, any guam
tty from St. Louis to New Orleans was
IS cents while from New Orleans to St
Louis is vas 81 cents per 100 pounds. The
matter was taken UP by the Illinois Cen
trail railroad, we claiming that such dis
elimination was entirely wrong, for the
reason that the raw material from which
crackers are made had to be brought to
this city while with st. Louis they were
near at hand. After considering the mat
ter that company granted the relief asked
for by publishing the same rate TO st.
Louis as applies southbound.
Rates Coffee, to Cape Girardeau, No
In April last our attention was called to
the fact that the rate from New Orleans
TO Cape Girardeau, Mo, on coffee on car
Ha. NrtHr