The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-07
WHERE THEY DISCRIMINATE.
4 Letter Showing How New Orleans is
Favored Over Savannah.

Shipments to That Point From Mont
Eomery at About Half for What They
Are Brought Here-The Necessity for
the Freight Bureau Being Fully
Realized-The Lumbermen Subscribe
Sl,OOo-Work Of the New Orleans Bu-
reau in the Last Year.
The interest in the establishment of the
proposed freight bureau for Savannah
seems 10 be growing.
The following is an extract from let
ter from the Montgomery Iron Works
+ Of Montgomery, Ala, to Mr.. Andrew Han
/ ley of this city with regard to freight
/ rates from that point:
I Replying to yours Of Sept. p. we are
working on freight rate to your point,
and will let you know as soon as we hear
+ The best we can get now is 20 cents per
100 pounds, whereas we have an Il cent
rate to New Orleans, and we expect to
get an Il cent rate to your place"
This is another of the determinations
that exists against Savannah, and it is
an admirable illustration of what dis
ordinations are made. The distance from
Montgomery to New Orleans is about
nineteen miles further by the shortest
route than to Savannah, yet the freight
rate to that point is just a little more than
half what it is from Montgomery to this
point.
Mr.. Hanley, it seems, feels strongly the
determinations, and he enclosed this let
ter to Capt. D. G. Purse with the follow
ing:
Capt. D. G. Purse, President Savannah
Board of Trade, City: Dear Sir-Referring
to the movement on foot for establishing
a freight bureau in this city, / am glad
to know that the question has been ag-
itated and that there is some probability
of it's being successful as it is in my opin-
ion very necessary that the interests of
the merchants OF this city should be
looked after and protected against any
/ determinations made against Savannah
That these have existed and do exist is
beyond doubt and as an evidence of
this please note the inclosed letter, which
will explain itself and by which you will
see that the freight rate on sash Weights
from Montgomery, Ala, to Savannah is
20 cents per hundred pounds, car lots,
whereas New Orleans has rate of freight
on the same goods of II cents, notwith-
standing the fact that we have direct
communication between Montgomery and
Savannah via the Savannah, Americas
and Montgomery railroad, as we'll as by
the Central and Savannah, Florida and
Western. Yours truly,
ANDREW HANLEY.
Capt Purse says this is a fair illustra-
ton of the letters and complaints that he
is receiving every day or two, and the
business men are realizing more and more
the Importance of taking action and estab-
fishing the bureau as early as possible.
The subcommittee have met with very
fair success in the work of canvassing
during the week. The lumber men will
subscribe $1,000 d year, which will prob
ably be done through the Southern Lum-
! Der Exchange, which has its headquarters
| in this city, Other similar interests will
| subscribe large amounts, and it is be-
! ieved that everybody will fall in line
and share their part of the expense, which
| it is estimated VIII be very small in com
| parison to the benefits to be derived.
| On account of the holidays last week
| and those which occur this week, and the
| fact that the circus also takes a hand in
the proceedings, Capt. Purse has decided
not to call the sub-committees together
! to report to the general committee to-
morrow night as had been intended. The
! meeting will be held at his residence next
Monday night, Oct. 10.
Capt. Purse has just received a copy of
| the first annual report of the New Or
! leans freight bureau, which shows what
has been accomplished by that institu-
ton for that city during the last year
1t is called there the bureau of freight
and transportation, and it works for the
| interests of the city where matters con-
| nected with transportation of any kind
| are concerned, so that it's benefits do
not inure alone to its subscribers. but
| in the end to all.
! Speaking of the work of the bureau,
| President Trufant said in his report:
| The bureau of freight and transporta-
ton has proved very much needed adj
| lunct to each and every one of the COM
! m taken
| up the matter of the adjustment of freight
! rates and classification with a view to as
! sist in the promotion of their interests
! When the settlement of position has
| seemed to require the united action of
| all the commercial bodies, this board has
| succeeded in all cases in bringing it
! about, thus showing that it is only by
! organized effort and concert Of action that
| individual opinion and Individual interest
can be made subservient to public good
! The largest subscription, he states, from
| any firm or individual was $780, indicating
that it had not been maintained by tax
upon the few, but by very general con-
| tributions. The report of Commissioner
! Masters of the bureau shows in cases
where Determinations have formerly
! existed that since the establish
ment OF the bureau there have
been reductions in rates along these
| lines all the way from 10 cents to
/ SO cents per hundred pounds depending
on the distance and the article. The bu-
reau has handled rates in and out of
| New Orleans in every direction and from
! every section, with the result that now
/ hardly a discriminating rate can be found
against that city. New Orleans had an ad-
vantage over many other points in the
matter Of freight rates in the first place,
! but even with that the business men of
/ the city found 1t necessary to establish
| such an institution to protect their in
! terests in other directions, and the re-
! port shows that it has been done we'll