The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-03
FOR SAvANNAH'S COMMERCE.
An APPEAL To THE INTERSTATE
COMMERCE. COMMISSION.

Charged on Naval Stores and Cot
ton shipped I'm This DirectiOn-A
Higher Rate Charged for n Haul OF
Six Miles in TINS Direction Than
for n Haul of 1872 Miles the other
Way-Merchants, Naval stores OPP
orators and Farmers in That Sec
lion Anxious TO Trade with sa-
vannnh.
Capt D. G. Purse. commissioner Of the
freight bureau, has filed complaint with
the Interstate commerce commission
which is Of great Importance to Savannah.
The complaint relates to the discrimi-
nations. long complained Of by the Savan-
nah merchants. of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad on its Pensacola and
Atlantic branch against Savannah. 1t
win bring to light the most pronounced
case OF discrimination by a railroad in IA
vor Of certain seaports as against other
seaports which. it is safe to say. will ex-
eel anything in the previous experience of
the interstate commerce commission.
The Savannah merchants, especially the
naval stores men. have long complained
Of the discrimination exercised against
them on the Pensacola and Atlantic rail-
road. The railroads centering here were
equally interested, as the removal of the
determinations meant more freight for
their lines, but were able to accomplish
nothing.
As stated in the Morning News several
weeks ago Capt. Purse made a visit to
West Florida and spent several days at
points along the line of the Pensacola and
Atlantic railway investigating the discrim-
nations. He found that they were greater
than anybody in Savannah dreamed Of and
the result is the complaint which has been
filed with the commission, a request upon
the Louisville and Nashville to remedy the
discrimination having been without ef-
feet
The situation as stated by Capt. Purse,
is simply this: The Pensacola and Allan
tic railroad runs from Pensacola to the
Chattahoochee river. a distance of 1862
miles, where it connects with the Savan-
nah, Florida and Western railway and the
Florida Central and Peninsular railroad
at a point known as River Junction. The
rate on rosin from Pensacola to River
Junction is Is cents per 100 pounds, or IS
cents a barrel and the rate is the same
from every point on the line to River
Junction, even from Sneads, station only.
six miles from the Junction. on the con-
trary the rate from River Junction to Pen
sacola is only 912 cents per 100 pounds or
47lk cents per barrel. and decreases on a
graduating scale approaching Pensacola
until Bohemia, six miles from that city, is
reached, where the rate Is only cents per
100 pounds or 20 cents per barrel as against
Is cents per 100 pounds or % cents per bar
rel for g six mile haul at the other end of
the line towards Savannah. The rate for
six miles is the same as for 1862 miles where
the direction of the shipment is toward Sa-
vannah.
The rate on spirits of turpentine from
Pensacola to River Junction is % cents per
100 pounds or N.OO per barrel and the rate
is the same from every station coming to-
ward Savannah. The rate from River
Junction to Pensacola is p cents per 100
pounds or S4 cents a barrel and decreases
on a sliding scale towards Pensacola I'M
til Holts 80 miles from Pensacola is
reached from which point the rate is only
rel. Contrast this with the rate of 20 cents
per 100 pounds or SLIGO per barrel for six
mile haul towards Savannah at the other
end of the line.
In cotton freight rates the discrlmna-
ton is equally as great. The rate per bale
on cotton from Pensacola and Z. and A.
stations to River Junction is $1.75 per BALE.
whether from Pensacola, 1872 miles, or
Sneads, six miles: whereas the maximum
rate from River junction and all p. and
| A. stations is to Pensacola, 1872 miles 81. 80;
| to Mobile 265 miles, 81 rs, and to New Or
leans, 406 miles, 81 90 per bale. From Pen
sacola and all +. and A. stations to Sa-
the p. and A. gets Sl.75 for 1852 mile haul
| and the Florida Central and Peninsular
| or Savannah, Florida and Western, $100
| for 259 mile haul.
''The same difficulties" says Capt
! Purse in his complaint (which are ex-
| perienced in moving cotton and naval
| stores to Savannah are met with in the
| efforts of our merchants to sell general
merchandise in the territory of the p. and
! A. on account of the same general char
acter of determinations in favor of New
Orleans which are practically prohibitory
of intercourse between the merchants in
the territory of the p. and A. and the
/ n40 IF Gov harAul !, ~,
of these determinations is more keenly
| felt because of the general desire of the
merchants, naval stores producers and
| farmers of the section traversed by the
| p. and A. railroad, as in the matter of gem
| eral trade, to have Savannah compete
with New Orleans upon equal freight ar
| rangements, and in naval stores and cotton
to market their products in Savannah, as
affording the most satisfactory market
market in the world, and the short staple
| cotton produced in the territory of the p.
and A. reaching its best market in Sa-
! Vannah."
Capt. Purse stated in his complaint that
he is not unmindful of the fact that the
| Pensacola and Atlantic railroad being q
| part of the Louisville and Nashville sys-
| tenn, is entitled TO certain amount of
| allowance for the longer haul that would
be secured TO that system by forcing this
| business unnaturally away from Savan-
nah, but he submits that this right of ad-
| vantage has been assumed TO a degree that
| cannot under any circumstances be an
of the Pensacola and Atlantic in practi-
| cally walling Savannah out of its territory
| he holds to be in direct violation of section
of the interstate commerce act which
| prohibits any common carrier from giving
any undue or unreasonable prejudice or
! advantage to any person, firm, corporation
! or locality or to any particular descrip-
ton of traffic or to subject the same to any
undue or unreasonable prejudice or disad-
vantage in any respect whatsoever.
Capt. Purse also holds that the action of
the Pensacola and Atlantic is equally re-
pugnant to section A of the act when it
charges more for the shorter than for the
longer haul, though not in the same direc-
ton, but under substantially similar cir
cumstances and conditions" in every other
| respect
Capt. Purse states in conclusion that the
determinations against Savannah, as far
as they relate to naval stores are chiefly
due to an effort to make Pensacola a naval
stores market, contrary to the wishes of
the producers, whose preferences are for
Savannah. In evidence of this fact letters
from leading naval stores firms are attach
ed, giving instances in which customers in
this territory are prevented from patroniz-
ing them by the unjust Determinations
complained of.
A startling illustration of the character
lie "A afv,.,t ton, l.