The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-08
UTAH RATES SITUATION,
General Freight Agent Smurr
Is Waiting for Mr.. Sproule's
Return.
The Union Pacific Threatens a Cut if
the Southern Pacific Makes
Any Reduction.

According to Manager w. B. Curtis Of
the Traffic Association the Union Pacific
has threatened to cut rates if the Southern
Pacific makes any reduction of its freight
rates to Utah.
lie submitted his report on the situation
In Utah to the executive committee at its
regular monthly session yesterday. After
telling OF the conference at Salt Lake City
with the representatives of the Trans
Missouri Association railroad companies
he summed up the matter thus:
The Salt Lake jobber had three contentious
ggainstus:
First-The fear of San Francisco usurping the
iobbing trade OF that city.
Second-Belng lobbers, with trade pride,
they don't like to be compelled to buy from
another jobber.
Third-They do not like to see an adjustment
of rates which might permit shipments 10 be
made from the East TO san Francisco and back
10 Utah at less rates than are made for ship
mentS direct from the East to Utah.
AS TO their first contention, believe it to be
groundless in the main. 1t is true that the
goods, if opportunity offers; still the Salt Lake
jobber could protect himself by buying N car
load lots, and our competition would then be
as against the Chicago iobber.
As 10 the second, that, of course, is not COM
pulsory. The Salt Lake jobber can buy in the
East il he likes, just the same as the San Fran
cisco merchant, anu can SHIP his goods by way
OF San Francisco to Utah.
AS to the third assertion, it is q force of cir
cumStances which is beyond the power of any
community TO control San Francisco, from
her natural position a seaport, will at all
times command lower rates on imports than
an inland city like Salt Lake City, and this is
one OF the inevitable conditions which cannot
be CHI nged and an advantage of which we cam
not be deprived.
Before the railroad conference even went
n M I'D
the minds OF the Salt Lake City jobbers
had been poisoned by the representatives
of the roads running into Utah from the
East. He made canvass of most of the
iobbers and they had one story to tell,
namely, that San francisco jobbers would
be enabled by lower rates to usurp their
territory. Mr.. Curtis argued to them, of
course, that they could not suffer any
worse from San Francisco than they do
now from Chicago, which at present has
the lions share of trade there, while on
the other hand San Francisco's entrance
into the field would tend to reduce the
advantage of the Chicago jobber
Mr.. Curtis informed the committee that
Assistant General Freight Agent William
Sproule of the Southern Pacific, who was
in Salt Lake City as his company's repre-
sentative at the conference, had assured
him OF reduction on 10 per cent basis
from this City to Ogden. This reduction,
thought Mr.. Curtis, would sooner or later
operate to open the eyes OF the Salt Lake
jobbers, seeing that it would make Ogden
the center of distribution for San Fran
cisco's business in Utah.
He had seen General Freight Agent
Smurr during the day, he said. and Mr..
Smurr had assured him that he was simply
awaiting the return of Mr.. Sproule, who
went north into Montana after leaving
Utah. Mr.. Sproule is expected to be here
Saturday.
The Union Pacific, Mr.. Curtis added, had
threatened after the conference to reduce
its rates from the East to Utah, so as to
offset the reduction to be made by the
Southern Pacific. The Southern Pacifc's
reduction would amount to the same rate
per mile, except for some lines of goods, as
the rate from the Missouri River to Salt
Lake City.
There seems to be no doubt now of the
Southern Pacific determination to reduce
rates. Its freight department feels con-
hdent OF being more than match for the
Union Pacific in any rate war the latter
might attempt.