The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-23
THEDEMANDF0RC CARS
Lumbermen Accuse Northern
Pacific of Discrimination.
NADEAu DENIES THE CHARGE.
The Road Must Haul Tea hut Does Not
overlook Lumber-Demand for
Lower Rates.

just determinations against their branch
OF Industry. not in freight rates. but in
railing 10 give them adequate facilities for
Shipment Their view OF the situation. as
stated by several of them. may be sum
married. thus:
Every year az this season the lumber
ana shingie industry is more or less Grip
pied by the attitude OF the railroads on ac-
count. OF the discrimination in favor az
grain. IL is 4 well known fact that the
lumber business is the mainstay OF this
state. and for the railroads TO ignore the
industry, especially at this season. when
the demand for lumber and shingles IS
greatest, is considered a great detrinent
and is the cause Of a loss OF a large vol
ume OF business. What otherwise would
come here is placed in other sections ot
the country. In the Southern states ard
elsewhere, simply because local manufac-
tuTers cannot guarantee prompt ship
ments. This evil must be reIneiied IL they
are 10 attain and hold the position they
are entitled to in the lumber and Single
producing world.
AT the present time the situation Is
doubly embarrassing from the fact that
the bulk of the very heavy annual ship
nents OF tea from the Orient to the East
ern states is being made by the Northern
Pacific, and in order TO facilitate tea
shipments, the supply of cars for shingles
and lumber has been further reduced, and
at times there have been absolutely 10
cars available for lumber. This is con-
sidered most unjust, especially when IL
is made evident that the revenue derived
from hauling tea is much less than that
from lumber.
Burlington Cars Shut Ont.
1T was thought when the Burlington
system made it's connection with the
Northern Pacific at Billings that the ex-
FRA .INy,r 10 ff,N-t
line would tend to relieve Puget Sound
when the Northern Pacific withdrew it's
equipment 10 handle grain and tea, hut
Tor some unknown reason the Northern
Pacific now refuses to haul empty 20
cars from Billings TO the Coast 10 help
the lumber men. while at the same time
il is hauling its own cars empty from st.
Paul 70 Tacoma to handle tea At the
present time lumbermen are informed
that the Burlington prefers the lumber
and shingle traffic to tea.
When IL is known that the shipment of
100 cars OF shingles means the distributing
of over si5.o00 among the people of this
state. nearly every one in the state receiv-
ing some benefit, while from a shipment
OF leo cars of tea the people of this state
receive not more than 5000 or $1,000. which
amount goes to Tacoma alone. ii is at
once apparent that the Northern Pacific
is not doing its duty by the people. for
every car Of tea that displaces car OF
shingles or lumber causes a loss to the
state of $50. The quicker the Northern
Pacific railroad receivers realize this fact
and bend their energies toward the en-
couragement of manufactures, the quick
er Will the state feel the coming of better
times, already abroad in the Eastern
states
Nadeau Denies the Charge.
General Agent !. A. Nadeau, OF the
Northern Pacific, yesterday outlined the
position OF his road as follows:
Regarding the statements made by
lumbermen and shingle shippers concern
ing the alleged shortage OF cars on the
Northern Pacific. and the story that we
have refused to haul empty Burlington
cars west from Billings, l wish TO say
the facts are that we are taking cars from
the Burlington at Billings as fast as
they can give them to us. The Burling-
ton claims that IL has large orders for
cars and cannot deliver them to US as
fast as we would like 20 have them. !
am Informed by the Seattle & Lake Shore
people that they have had plenty Of
Northern Pacific cars at all times since
August TO supply all orders. and that
they are short on their line but twenty
five Burlington cars TO fill orders for that
class OF equipment. Their shortage OF
twenty-five cars is due TO not being able
to secure them from the Burlington road.
r or the large nGINDST or Mills on inc
Lake Shore 10 have a shortage OF but
twenty-five cars from the Burlington, and
an actual excess of Northern Pacific cars
shows that there is no reason in the COM
plant II is hoped that an abundance of
cars for all classes OF freight can be fur
nished for some time, until. at least.
the wheat crop is ready TO move But Of
course our ability to supply Burlington
cars viii depend upon the ability of the
Burlington 10 give us cars at Billings.
Under Contract to Haul Tea.
In regard TO the handling OF tea. the
Northern Pacific has contract with bod
well. carlll & Co. which company owns
the Northern Pacific Steamship Company.
To handle all tea that they may secure
for their line from China 10 Puget sound.
through to Eastern points. These contracts
for handling this tea are made in advance.
and the railroad company must provide
the necessary equipment, under their con-
tract. Immediately upon the arrival OF tho
tea ships. 50 that the tea may be eXpe-
dited through to its destination.
Until the O. Il. & y. and Great
Northern lire from China 10 Portland
was established the proportion earned by
the Northern Pacific railroad was more
than double what Il is on lumber and
single shipments. And II Is the very best
kind OF freight, as It can he handled in
car loads, and on an average OF $500
ton OF the steamer line above mentioned
70 Portland the rate through from China
70 New York has been denoralizod, az IL
has 70 every place at which that line
touches. What revenue may be derived
BY the railroad company cuts no figure
in the proportion. As part OF q through
line we must meet competition and must
furnish the facilities for doing the bust
ness The whole question OF the Northern
Pacific giving preference to tea is one
with which the shingie men have nothing
20 do. SO long as they are treated fairly,
az they have been al ali times.
Another point about these China ship
rnonts il this. A good proportion Of the
China shipments consists OF silks and
other Chinese goods which arc a very
high-class freight. They are. therefore.
a very profitable class OF goods to han
die"
Demand for Lower Rates.
Tho agitation Of the question Of more
cars for lumber and shingles having
brought out the fact that the Northern
Pacific Is carrying tea as a preferred COM
modify at a greatly reduced rate. the Pa
cifc Lumber Trade Journal makes IL the
basis OF an article asking for reduced rates
all around. The paper SAYS:
The railroads companies VIII natural
Is make TIE plea thar they will lose
money b. making a reduction IN lumber
rates. Notwithstanding the fact that tea
- shipped from Tacoma at a lower rate
than lumber and shingles. ard Is given
preference IN the matter Of ears over the
latter commodities. which are shipped
twelve months In the year. Conceding
for the sake OF argument. however. that a
loss would be sustained by a reduction n
lumber rates, there Il way q rednc-