Evening star., 1896-08-06
THE CUTTING OF RATES
Belief That Judge simonton' s Injunction Will
Not Be Permanent.
The Grain War i'm the West-Cuttins
of Passenger Rates to Salt
Lake City.

The officials of both the Southern and Sea-
board Air Line Railway Companies seem
to be agreed on one question at least-that
the injunction issued by Judge Simonton is
not likely to be made permanent. and that It
will be dissolved by the court after the
hearing at Spartanburg, S. c., next Satur-
day week
On that day Judge Simonton will hear
argument on the question. Some of the
ablest attorneys in the south will probably
appear in the case Messrs. King and Spad-
ing of Atlanta will, it is expected. represent
the Seaboard, while Col. Baxter of Nash
vile, who is counsel for a number of roads
on interstate commerce matters. will prob
ably be there for the freight association, or
may be for the Port Royal and Augusta.
Col. Henderson of Atlanta will no doubt
represent the Southern, and Lawton & Cum
ningham of the same city will be the coun-
sci of the Georgia Southern.
The Port Royal and Augusta, upon whose
application the injunction was issued, will.
ought to be made permanent. What ground
the other roads will take has not as Yet
been disclosed.
At the present time the Sea Board has. and
until the close of business Saturday next
when the cut rate will be withdrawn, will
have a great advantage over ;he enjoined
lines, and great quantities of freight are
moving over that road, as the merchants
and manufacturers are taking advantage
or the cut. This advantage amounts to
about 81 on ton of firSt-class freight from
New York to points in the middle south. or
more than $50 car, which is a cOnSiderd-
ton which has its weight with shippers.
There is a great diversity of opinion
among railway men on the probable action
of the court, some expressing the view that
the injunction will be made permanent. and
others that it will be dismissed. 1t is con-
coded that courts have no power to fix rates,
but IL is thought that Judge Simonton will
rule that he has the authority to protect
property in the care of his court as the Port
Roya! and Augusta is.
Railroad Mail Matter.
The superintendents of a number of the
various divisions of the Southern Railway
Company have had rosted orders notifying
all conductors and baggagemasters to al
low any post office inspector who shows the
proper credentials to examine their rail-
road letters to see if any matter is being
carried contrary to the postal laws Of the
United States. 1t is understood that the
government now has a number of inspect
orS on the southern railroads, and the en-
ployes of the railroads must. according to
law. submit to an examination of any of
their stuff which the inspectors may wish
to see.
The route from Baltimore to Richmond,
by the Seaboard and closed soon afterward
on account of damage to the steamer Vir-
ginia by running upon the rocks, was re-
opened Saturday. The Virginia which has
been thoroughly repaired, carried a full
cargo of freight and a good list of passe,i-
gers.
Mr.. P. ]. McGovern, a former Louisville
and Nashville railroad man, has accepted a
position with the Southern Railway Com
pany and will in future have charge of the
rate department Of the latter, under the
general freight agent. with his headquar-
ters at Washington. Mr.. McGovern was
with the Louisville and Nashville when
Traffic Manager Culp and General Freight
Agent Smith of the Southern were with
the Louisville and Nashville. When Mr..
McGovern left the Louisville and Nashville
he went to the Richmond and Danyille as
assistant general freight agent, and later
he was general freight agent of the Geor-
gia Pacific. For the past three years he
has been assistant commissioner of the
Southern States Freight Association, which
position he resigns to accept his new DO
sition with the Southern Railway Company
The Grain War I'm the West.
The Wabash railway entered the grain
war Friday by reducing the rates from
Kansas City to Chicago and St Louis to
meet the competition of the Missouri Pa
cific and the Chicago lines, and has made
a rate of cents on fax, cents on wheat
and cents on other grains to St. Louis.
To Chicago the rates are Ii, II and ., re-
spectiveiy. The freight offices of the east
bound roads from Chicago are much exer-
cised over the immense diversion of oats
from the all-rail to the lake lines, and
are anxious to have the board of managers
of the Joint Traffic Association authorize
4 reduction in the all-rail oats rate be-
tween Chicago and New York
About Passenger Rates,
Western railroads have refused to make
70 80
tween points in their territory and Louis
vile, KY. for the national meet of the
League of American Wheelmen, August
10-1o. They have also voted down the
proposition to make a rate of one and one
third fares for the round trip to ST. Louis
on account of the meeting August 8 10 IL
of the Catholic Total Abstinence League of
America.
The knights oe Pythias refused to hold
their encampment this year at Minneapoli
after all arrangements had been made be-
cause western roads would not grant them
rate of cent a mile. and selected Cleye-
land as the meeting place, and, on a sec
end application by the committee of ar
rangemcats of the X. of p, the same roads
voted down proposition to make a rate of
one fare In their territory. The reason
given Is that central passenger COMMITTEES
lines refuse to limit the return tickets for
use CT August -. 30 and 81 only
Inc threatened western passenger war
over rates from Chicago to Salt Lake City
on the occasion of the meeting of the
chiefs of the fire departments of the United
States Is now regarded as certain to occur
and 1t Is probable that the round-trip fare
from eastern points to Salt Lake City will
be the lowest ever known. The Chicago
Milwaukee and st. Paul Company has
made a rate Of $50 from Chicago to salt
Lake and return, and the Chicago and
Alton has given notice that 1t will meet the
rate. An effort has been made by infiuen-
tial members OF the Western Passenger
Association to persuade competing lines to
ignore the cut rate made by the Chicago.
Milwaukee and st. Paul, and also to gel
the latter to withdraw the reduced tariff
the latter road declare that the $50 rate
will not be withdrawn unless the Union
Pacific withdraws what Is known as its
will probably be that the round-trip rate
from Chicago to Denver will be reduced to