The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-20
TERMINAL CHARGE TAKEN OFF.
A REDUCTION OF THREE CENTS ON
COTTON TO SAVANNAH.

The Executive Board Direct The Rate
Committee to Cut Down the Rate
From All Competitive or Junction
POints-Means Cotton Can BE
Brought Here For Fifteen Cents u
Bale Less-One of the DisRdvan-
tages of Savannah as Compared
With Norfolk RemOved-It Now
Remains to See What VIII BE Done
About the Ocean Rate.
So far as the railroads are concerned,
Savannah has now been put on an equal
footing with Norfolk and Wilmington in
the matter Of cotton shipments through
the port.
The executive board of the Southern
States Freight Association, which has just
held a meeting in Atlanta, authorized q
reduction of cents per 100 pounds in the
rates on cotton to Savannah, Brunswick
and Charleston from competitive or juno
ton points, or, in other words, they have
taken off the terminal charge at these
ports, which amounts to the figure stated,
or about Is cents per BALE
One feature in which Norfolk and Will
mington have had the advantage of Sa-
vannah and these other ports has been
that they have not collected this terminal
charge, whereas It has always been col
lected here. The executive board direct
ed the rate committee which was in ses-
sion in Atlanta yesterday to take off this
terminal charge and to make rates ac-
cordingly. The rate committee no doubt
acted in accordance with these directions
and it is probable that Commissioner
Haines will issue circular at once, CIV
ing notice of the reduction.
The executive board also decided that
the differential of cents per 100 pounds
as between Norfolk and Savannah should
be maintained 1t is said that of iatO
this differential has not been as strictly
maintained as it should have been, but the
executive board appears determined to en-
force it.
This, it appears, will put Savannah on an
equal footing with Norfolk and the other
ports, so far as the railroad rates are
concerned, and the next thing to which
attention should be given, and will no
doubt be given, is an adjustment of the
ocean rates and putting Savannah on an
equal footing with the other ports in that
respect. The shipping men and exporters
have sought to have this terminal charge
removed for some time, claiming this was
one of the principal determinations
against Savannah. Now that this has
been removed. it remains to be seen
whether or not 1t had anything to do
with it. or whether there are other dis
examinations which have been, and may
continue to cause Savannah to get less
than her share of the cotton
A gentleman who wanted to ship some
cotton to Bremen the other day found
out that it would cost him So cents to
ship it through Savannah, and as cents
to ship 1t through Charleston, a differ
ence of nine cents per 100 pounds The
railroad rate from many interior points
to Charleston is from to 10 cents per 100
more than 1t is to Savannah, but it will
be seen that with the above rate taken
as an instance, in many cases there must
be an advantage of several cents in favor
of Charleston on the ocean rate.
Messrs. William Johnston G. Co. of Liv-
erpool are now making arrangements to
open their office and secure an agency
here, and 1t is expected that the details
will be concluded within a few days. It
is said that the steamers of the new COM
pany will be here the early part of next
month ready to take for foreign ship
ment any cotton or other freight that is
Offering. This, 1t is expected, will make
some change in the ocean rate from Sa-
vannah at once, the object being, as was
stated, to put Savannah on an equal foot
ing with other ports, by giving it rate
which is commensurate with It's natural
advantages.