Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-01
FREIGHT ASSOCIATION MEETING.
Probable Effect ON the Rate War
That is Now In Suspense.

AHoUADAc Effect ON tnC rate war
That is Now In Suspense.
The executive officers of the Southern
Railway Company in the city today receiv-
ed notice that an important meeting Of the
executive board of the Southern States
Freight Association will be held in New
York tomorrow.
The board has control Of all passenger
and freight matters in the railroad systems
In that portion of the south which lies
south Of the Ohio and Potomac rivers and
east of the Mississippi, except the Seaboard
Air Line and its ally, the Old Bay Line of
steamers, between Baltimore and Norfolk
There are also affiliated with the associa-
ton several powerful northern transporta-
ton companies
The membership of the Southern Freight
Association comprises the Alabama and
Great Southern Railway Company. South
ern system. Florida Central and Peninsu-
lar, Atlantic Coast Line Plant system,
East and West road Of Georgia, Central of
Georgia, the Georgia State Western and
Atlantic, Port Royal and Augusta, Cape
rear and Atlantic, Savannah, Americas and
Meriulan and Georgia and Alabama; also
the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic
York River Line, Clyde Line and Mer-
chants and Miners Transportation Com
panies' lines of steamers. All will, 1t Is
expected, be fully represented at the meet
ing.
While there Is no one here who will saw
what the purpose of the meeting is, 1t is
generally assumed that the principal busI-
ness that Will come before the body will be
In relation to the dissolution of the iniunc-
llon by Judge Simonton in the case Of the
Fort Royal and Augusta road against the
southern States Freight Association and
the Seaboard Air Line, in the matter of
rate cutting.
1t is pretty we'll known among railroad
men that the Seaboard Air Line is not
nkeiy to modify Its demands in regard to
md h ol,
~. that 1t WILL as its president. Mr. r. c..
Hoffman, and vice president and general
manager, st. John. have frankly asserted,
insist on the withdrawal by the Southern
Railway Company of it's recently estab-
lished line of steamers between Baltimore,
Norfolk and Newport News, and that this
demand will be rejected by the Southern
company.
1t is, however, anticipated in many
quarters that the final outcome of the de-
cision Gnd this result can only be delayed
for very few days. will be 10 reopen the
war between the Southern and Seaboacd
Air Line companies, which has been Iuies-
cent since Judge Simonton issued the tenn
porary injunction some five weeks ago, and
II the Southern carries into execution the
cut of so per cent in its schedule, as it has
been authorized to do by the Southern
States Freight Association, much anxiety
will be felt as to the final oulcome. There
are many persons who would rather that
present rates be maintained, but who at
the same time, believe that II a cut must
be made 1t will be better to cut to the
extreme limit al once and not do 1t by
piecemeal.
This was the course adopted by President
Smith of the Louisville ard Nashville when
its rates were cut into by a rival lire a
couple of years ago, and a peace was
sought by the latter in short order
Whether the result would be similar in
the present instance cannot at this time be
fCreshadcwed.
1t is expected that a SpeciaI nee+fT,o of
the Southern States Freight Association
will be held in New York during the pres
ent week. when the entire situation will be
taken into consideration.