The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-22
"A NEW BOMB IN THE RATE WAR
STATE RAILROAD COMMISSION To
TAKE HAND.

Local Rates to BE Ordered Reduced
~ the slash In Through Rates
COntinues-'The Commission Claims
the War Rs Now Conducted Is
RuinOus TO Local Industries
Chairman TrnmncII sends a Let
ter tn Wee President 81. John.
Atlanta, Ca, July 2l.-Chairman L. n.
Trammell of the state railroad commits
sion threw a bomb IN the scaboard Air
Lines rate war this morning. The com
mission takes the position that the slash
ing Of rates lnauglrated by tho Scaboard
and which u has been expected would
force general decentralization In the lines
Of the Southern States Freight Associu-
ton, the executive board OF which meets
here tomorrow, is damaging TO the inter-
ests Of local enterprises which DO not get
the benefit OF the reduction. In other
words Georgia producers ana manufac-
turers have 20 pay regular rates on their
shipments, while outsiders can have their
goods hauled into this market almost for
nothing under the present conditions Of
the eastern rate sheets. Acting upon this
NhNW Va AliN eAANdNl0ilt AIit NAfnIIllS0lltl n
through Chairman Trammeu. sent the
following communication to Vice Presl-
dent ST. John Of tho Seaboard to-day.
giving notice that II the rate cutting Is
kept up on tho 2Sth instant. when tho
boards holds It's regular meeting, an or
der VIII probably be passed reducing local
rates within the state In the same propor-
tion as through rates have been cut:
Dear Sir; l have before me you through
freight tariff No. ZIG, from which Il ap-
pears that your line has reduced the
through freight rates from baltimore to
Atlanta and TO local stations on your line
about SS per cent below the figures in ef-
feet prior to July u last. have also seen
your special passenger tarim No. 8 which
shows corresponding reduction has been
made IN your through passenger rates.
These reductions, If continued without
ike reductions In your local rates within
the state Of Georgia, will dlsastrously ar
feet the manufacturing enterprises and
other Industries Of Georgia, hence ! feel
compelled to give you notice that this
board has under consideration the 0lles-
ton OF reducing your local freight and
passenger rates within this state in the
same proportion that your through rates
now or may be in the future reduced. said
local reductions TO be concurrent In dura-
tion with the through reduction In ques-
ton"
Chairman Trammell also wrote 10 Com
missioner Haines of the traffic associa-
tlon enclosing a copy OF the letter 10
Mr.. St John, and notifying him that the
same ruling would be offered to the as
ISOLATED lines II they meet the Seaboar,l
cut This communication will be pre-
sented TO the execute board when Il
meets here tomorrow. Some of the rail-
road men are inclined TO resent the inter-
ference of the railroad commission in the
night, and its authority 10 knock down the
local rates Is questioned. Chairman Tram
nell, however, declares that the commits
sion has full power TO compel a reduc-
ton and viii exercise II as Il Is his duty
to do for the protection of the interests
OF the state. 1t is not improbable that
there will be a vigorous hght between the
railroads and the commission while the
rate war between themseles goes mer-
rily on.