The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-09

SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. S-Accoro-
ing to Mr. W. B. Curtis, of the franc
association. the Union Pacific mas
threatened to cut rates if the Southern
Pacific makes any reduction Oh us
freight rates to Utah.
He submitted his report on the sltua-
ton in Utah to the executive commit
tee at its regular monthly session yes
terdav. After telling of the conference
at Salt Lake City, with the representa-
lives of the tTans-Missouri association
railroad companies, he summed up Inc
matter thus:
The Salt Lake jobbers had three coh-
Eentions against US.
< First-The fear Of San Francisco
Aurping tie jobbing trade OF that
Second-Being iobbers 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 per-
NIT shipments to be made from the
east to San Francisco and back to
Utah at less rates than are made for
shipments direct from the east to
Utah.
Al AS to their first contention. believe
S5t to be groundless in the main. 1t is
ttrue that the San Francisco jobber is
bound to sell his goods if opportunity
offers: still, the Salt Lake jobber could
protect himself by buying in carload
lots and our competition would then
be as against the Chicago jobber.
AS to the second, that, of course, is
not COMPULSORY. The Salt Lake jobber
can buy in the east if he likes just the
same as the San Francisco merchant,
and can ship his goods by way of San
Francisco to Utah.
AS to the third assertion it is force
of circumstances which is beyond the
power of any community to control.
San Francisco from her natural posi-
ton as a seaport will at all times COM
mand lower rates on imports than an
inland city like Salt Lake City, and
this is one of the inevitable condi-
lions which cannot he changed and
an advantage of which we cannot be
/. deprived.
- Before the railroad conference even
went into session Mr.. Curtis said he
found that 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 a
canvass of most Of the jobbers 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
~ere-while on the other hand San
Rrancisco's entrance into the field
Would tend to reduce the ADVANTAGE of
the Chicago jobher
Mr.. Curtis informed the on1mission
that Assistant General Freight Agent
William Sproule, of the Southern Pa
cific. who was in Salt Lake as his COM
pany's representative at the confer
ence, had assured him of a reduction
on 20 per cent basis from this civ
to Ogden. This reduction. thought Mr..
Curtis, would sooner or later operate to
open the eyes Of Salt Lake .iobbers
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 waiting the return of Mr..
Sproule. who went north into Mon
tana after leaving Utah. Mr.. Sproule
IS expected to be here Saturday.
me Union Pacific, Mr.. Curtis said
psd threatened after the conference to
rauce its rates from the east to Utah
so as TO offset the reduction made bv
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 civ
There seems to be no doubt now of
the Southern Pacific's determination 70
reduce rates. It's freight department
feels confident of being more than a
match for the Union Pacific in anv
rate war the latter might attempt.