Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-02
OUR LETTER BOX.
Montgomery. Dec. 1, 1896.
B. F. Roden, Esq, Birmingham, Ala:


 B. F. Roden, Esq, Birmingham, Ala:
 Dear Sir: I have read in the State Herald of the 29th. ult., the letter ad- dressed to me and signed by you. l do not think you wrote 1t, or if you did, l think you had MT. B. B. Conner by your side. have read something on the same orden heretofore coming from MT Conner, He loves to write. The public is ire quently entertained by his communica tions. His writings are very well mark ed whether over his signature or not. They all have a swallow fork in the right ear, and an underbt in the left. He is never so happy as when chasing a freight rate. If I have infmy conjectures. made a mistake in this matter, I shall feel very sorry, for am sure 1 would not do either of you an injustice.
 The rules of procedure which were adopted nearly sixteen years ago by our predecessors, and followed by the pres ent railroad commissioners, as being ex- pedient and proper, require that all com plaints shall be submitted in writing to the commissioners. The parties com plained against are notified by copy of the complaint, and a day Is set for the hearing of thesoase. This is proper, just and fair, and it is not usual for parties having a real or supposed grievance to go into the newspapers with their com plaints. But all rules have exceptions, and some times we find a writer who thinks he yields a graceful and facile pen, attaching himself as Exhibit A to the public, to be referred to as often as may be necessary.
 Tie rate you quote on flour per barrel from St. Louis. to Jasper, and from Bir- mingham to Jasper, as showing disad- vantage to Birmingham, only proves that you do not understand the conditions of which you complain. You quote the rate from St. Louis to Memphis at 30 cents per barrel. and from Memphis to Jasper at 32 cents, making a through rate of 62 cents to Jasper. Then you say that the rate from St Louis to Birming- ham is 54 cents, and from Birmingham to Jasper 20 cents, making a rate of "A cents, which you conclude is 12 cents againt Birmingham
 Now assuming that you have quoted the Missouri and Tennessee rates cor rectly (for these are outside rates, over which we have in our office no recorD then it is manifestly plain that If you sell flour by the barrel to Jasper parties, you ought to purchase it in St. Louis. and ship direct to Jasper at 62 cents, instead of shipping through Jasper all the way to Birmingham. and back again to Jas per at "A cents. This is much like your car load of coal tar shipment from Bir- mingham to Atlanta, then back to Fruit hurst You can save that 12 cents per barrel on flour now after being told how to do 1t.
 You insist also in your letter that we must look at the rates, in your own lan- guage, both ways'--that is, "in and out" The rates shown you above are the "in rates." now let us see the tout rates." The rate from Memphis to Jas per is 32 cents per barrel on -four, and the "out rate'' from Birmingham to Jas per is 20 cents-that is to say 12 cents l in favor of Birmingham. But as said in the outset, don't think you have giv- en this matter much consideration. It looks as if some one else has been cipher Ing for you. He has put you in 6 hole and gone away.
 You also inform me that the rate from St. Louis. "a primary point" to Nash vile Is, first-class, 66 cents per hundred pounds, and from Nashville to Cullman. C9 cents. making the through rate $1.35. You say, no more. and you institute no comparison of rates. as from Birmingham to Cullman, neither do you say this inter- state rate, Tn your opinion. Is detrimental to Birmingham. I fall to see why you gave this rate, and then run away from 1t without comment. But that primary point" don't sound lilSe you. think the public has read of 1t before, over the signature of e writer who fellcitates him. | self in the reflection that he Is a. patrdotfA