The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-26
THE DIVERSION OF COTTON.
THE COTTOSi EXCHANGE COMMIT.
TEES REASONS GIVEN.

Chairman VIII Jams Report Puts the
BIame on the, Railroads, and say'i
Cotton Goes to Norfolk Becaus
&be Rate is II Cents Lower Than tO
saxaDnah-Ths, Fact That There Is
no Terminal sCharge said to BE
Responsible For the Heavy Re
ceIpts at Charlie stOn-The Commit
tee Continued and Instructed 10
Henr From the railroad AuthOri-
ties-The Railroad side of IL May
Put Another Aspect on the situh-
IIOn.
There was quite a LANCE meeting OF the
members of the cotton exchange yester-
day. TO hear the report of the committee
appointed at the annual meeting to make
inquiry as to the causes 6or the diversion
of cotton from the port of Savannah. The
meeting was called to order by President
Geo. W. DWelle. who stated its object.
and Chairman Henry T. Williams then.
read the report that had been prepared.
The report of the committee puts all
the blame on the railroads, and so far as
can be learned, has done so without haT-
ing had any railroad men before it. Some
of the members of the cotton exchange
appear to have realized this, and they
moved for a continuance of the commit
tee with instructions to it to lay the mat
ter before the railroad men. with view
70 hearing their side of 1t. The report of
the committee is as follows:
Savannah, Ga. Nov. "a. 1870 the
President and Members of the Savannah
Cotton Exchange: Gentlemeh-Your com
mittee beg leave to report that the diver
sion of cotton from Savannah has been
due TO the following causes:
Observation-Disclosures, the published rate to
Norfolk is cents per 100 pounds more
than to Savannah, the rates actually ac-
cepted by the railroads in the territory
tributary to this port, have been as much
as cents per 100 pounds less to Norfolk
than to Savannah making an actual cut
Of Il cents per 100 pounds below The pub
lished rate On the same basis, cotton
Is taken from small towns to competi-
tive point on a through bill Of Aading, the
cotton is stopped at the competitive point
and the cotton sold and the freight re-
funded, thus taking the cotton free of
freight to the competitive point.
Charleston-Shipments have been drawn
to Charleston by lower ocean rates accept
ed my coastwise as well as direct sta amers,
about cents per 100 pounds, and I'VE be-
lieve that cents per 100 of this diff srence
is due to refunding of the terminal chs argos.
Very respectfully, Henry T. Williams,
Charm an.
Mr. Williams made few remarks in con-
nection with the report saying the COM
mite had secured evidence to supper its
statements as to the diversion of COTTON,
and then followed some discussion with
regard to it.
The report was received by the memh 'ers
of the exchange as Information, and the
committee was continued with instructio ms
20 further investigate the matter and to
confer with the railroad authorities with
regard to 1t. The committee is expecte d
10 get the answer of the railroad mesa
with regard to the charges made in the
report, and to make recommendations as
20 some remedy for the present condition
of affairs. AS soon as it has done this,
the committee is expected to report back
TO another meeting Of the exchange. An
other resolution was adopted providing
that the state railroad commission should
be appraised of the final results of the in
vestigation and that the final report OF
the committee be sent that body.
The cotton exchange committee appears
to have heard only one side of the matter.
1t is understood several railroads were ex-
pected to be called on to tell the commit
tee what they knew about the matter, and
10 exhibit certain facts and figures. One
of them who had some very interesting in
formation to present was asked about the
matter the other day and replied: Il have
not been called on yet. do not know when
the committee will want me-"
He was never called on, and he still has
his facts and figures in his pocket. 1t is
a statement which tends to show that there
has been something wrong about the ocean
rates and it sets it forth very clearly. Now
that the committee has been continued,
1t may be that this document will be
brought before 1t, and 1t will make an in
teresting addition to the committees re-
port.
The committee seems to have gone to
work. the railroad men say, the line
that the railroads were all at fault and no
of cotton. Now that the railroads are to
be heard from, they say there is a chance
of its being made interesting.