Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-05
POOL OF TONNAGE
Formed by the Southern States Freight Asso-
citation to Regulate and Maintain
Rates-Wayand Trask Fails.

New York, May 4.-The Mail and Ex-
press this evening says: The lines in
the Southern States Freight association,
after eight months labor have virtually
completed pool of tonnage to southern
competitive points from this territory,
and although all the details of the agree
ment are as yet incomplete, its prime
movers hope that before many weeks it
will be in full operation. The action of
the joint traffic association in drafting
an agreement for the regulation and
maintenance of rates has been
watched and noted by the gen.
eral railroad interests of the country,
but nowhere has it been so jealously re-
garded as among the more conservative
lines in the southern territory. The
southwestern traffic pool just organized
among the Texas lines was a result of
the eastern agreement, and while the
lines in the Southern States Freight as
ISOLATION have tried to emulate their
northern and southwestern colleagues,
the conditions prevailing in the southern
territory have made progress rather diff
ficult.
A committee of traffic managers of the
Interested lines set to work last fall for
the purpose of agreeing on a basis of
operations, and while their labors have
not been wholly productive of the de-
sired results, they have reached an
agreement that only requires general rat
ification. A number of meetings have
been held by this committee Statistics
have been tabulated showing the bust
ness carried from this territory and
general basis of division of the tonnage
decided upon. In furtherance' of the
agreement the general eastern agents
of the interested lines have been called
into service, and at a meeting to be held
N nj Off
Gals will endeayor to complete the de-
tails in the shape of recommends tions,
etc. The agreement as far as completed
apportions the business among the in
terested lines.
The Seaboard Air Line, which has
heretofore declined to cooperate on rates,
WILL 1t is said, participate in the divis-
Ions, and the various steamer and rail
lines will receive a share of the tonnage
on the basis that they have heretofore
carried. 1t Is understood that this special
agreement will be looked after by Com
missioner Haines of the Southern States
Freight association, and an office will be
located in this city to insure the proper
fulfillment of the same.
The southern lines have often expert
mented with agreements. Many COM
pacts have been entered into and speedi-
ly broken and some of the interested Off
Gals are very skeptical as to the success
full operation of the new contract. The
fact that the legality of the joint traffic
agreement is now being examined by the
United States courts has been a cause of
the slow progress of the proposed meas
ure, and some of the lines have gone so
far as to insist that nothing be done until
that agreement was legally passed upon.
1--WE maintain" said a prominent vice
president today, that a pool of tonnage
Is legal. What we would like to have is
a pool of earnings, but the law stops us.
W. hos n N no
measure where we are ready to finally
pass upon 1t. Certain representatives do
not believe we will succeed with the
measure, but we will try"
The following was received in last
nights Southern Associated press dis
patches:
New York, May 4.-Wayland Trask &
Co. have Just announced their suspension
on the stock exchange. Mr.. Wayland
Trask says the suspension of his firm Is
chiefly due to dry rot, and that they ex-
pect to resume business before long. The
liabilities are small, and there are no con-
tracts outstanding on the stock ex-
change The street attaches no signif-
canoe to the assignment. 1t grows out of
the first assignment of the firm a few
days ago."
Mr.. Trask, 1t will be remembered, was
for a brief period last year citizen of
Birmingham, being here as manager of
the interests of the Columbian Equip
ment company, which, through purchase,
secured control of the Highland Avenue
and Belt and East Birmingham lines.
He has many friends here, who hope to
hear of his being on change again soon.
! The excursion of Division No 1856,
brotherhood of Locomotive Eng to
TO Cahaba park today promises to be
largely attended.