The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-23
AFTER THE UTAH TRADE,
Traffic Manager Curtis Continues
His Campaign of Educa.
ton.
Local Merchants Earnestly Requested
to Make Application for
Cut Rates.

Traffic Manager Curtis of the Traffic As
ISOLATION is determined to maintain his
paign of agitation and education rela-
tive to the matter of fair and equitable
rates into Utah from the Pacific Coast, and
more particularly from San Francisco.
Although both he and the representa-
tive of the Southern Pacific Company
came away from the Salt Lake conference
without material results, neither Mr.. Cur
tbs nor the railroad people have by any
means given up the fight. On the con-
trary the more the matter is investigated
the more unfair appears to be the position
taken by the Trans Missouri Freight Rate
Committee, which has heretofore opposed
the desired readjustment of rates between
the Pacific Coast and Utah.
Ever since the adjournment Of the Salt
Lake conference the Southern Pacific Com
panv has been making such cats as were
found expedient, and now Traffic Manager
Curtis is out with q letter OF information
and appeal to the merchants of San Fran
cisco, intended to make the opposition see
the error of It's ways. 1t will be generally
circulated in few days.
After outlining the situation and point
ing out the determinations against the
San Francisco jobber. which prevent him
| from entering the Utah field, the letter
says:
We are endeavoring to secure rates between
| California and Utah so based as to give us the
whip hand in that Territory. The railway
! lines east of the Missouri River, namely: The
Union Pacific Railway; burlington and Mis-
| souri, River Railway; Rio Grande Western
Railway; Denver and Rio Grande Railway;
| Colorado Midland Railway; Missouri Pacific
| Railway; Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Rail-
way Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Rail
way, and Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Rail-
! way, are members of and comprise what is
known as the Trans-Missouri Freight Rate
Committee, the headquarters of which is in
Kansas City and of which w. A. Poteet is
| chairman. The association met in Salt Lake
| City on the 28th day of October for the express
e GtaR. u SETTLING ''' question u rates u
! found on arrival in Salt Lake City that the
representatives of the several railway lines
had been industrious!y circulating the story
| that If lower rates were granted to San Fran
away the trade of the Salt Lake City jobber
| and placing the same in the hands OF the San
| Francisco jobber.
! The Salt Lake merchant objects to rate ad-
| justment which will permit shipment, say
| from Chicago to San Francisco and back TO
| Salt Lake City, at rate which issless than the
rate he can secure from Chicago direct to Salt
| Lake.
| What we seek in Utah is that we be placed
| on proper and consistent footing as regards
our proximity to the Utah market, which foot
| Utah a. e. Salt Lake City as the basing poinD
our rate shall be, or approximate, the same
rate per mile as is granted our Eastern CON-
| petitors to Utah.
| If you are shipper to Utah or wish to be
one and feel that certain rates will permit you
10 snip, or II you are shipper from Utah and
want rates on given article, We request that
| you call on the Traffic Association of Cali
icrnla at room AZ, 214 Pine street, and your
case VIII receive immediate attention. 1t is
pertinent here to remark that in nine out OF
| ten cases immediate relief is obtained.
IN the meantime the general freight agents
| OF the trans-Mlssouri lines have had an in
formal meeting in Chicago and are pressing
the southern Pacific Company to again meet
them In the endeavor to settle this question,
ana that company has replied that it is willing
| 10 meet them in either Ogden or Salt Lake
City at any time which may be agreed.
| II mas been many years since the merchant
OF San Francisco felt that he could look to and
hold proper share of Utah business against
all corners, and this communication is in
tended to call your attention to the changed
relations, and to admonish you, however, that
| even with the advantage of reduced rates, a
due proportion of the business can be drawn
TINS way only by the display OF proper enter
/