The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05
AFTER EUREKA BUSINESS,
Local Merchants Claim That
They Are Being Discrimi-
mated Against.
Action to Be Taken by a Committee
to Be Appointed by Board of
Trade Members.

According TO the idea of large number
of the local merchants Portland, with
the aid of the Oregon Railway and Navi-
tion Companys steamer South Coast, has
been getting large share OF the Hum
boldt Bay business that it was not by ght
entitled to.
The matter was first agitated By Traffic
Manager w. B. Curtis of the Traffic Asso-
citation some weeks ago, and it was ex-
pected to come up for action before that
body yesterday. The meeting was ad-
journed, however, in order to permit the
members to attend the special meeting of
the Board of Trade of San Francisco called
for Yesterday to consider the same subject.
The call for the same fully explains the
situation as viewed by the local merchants
and is as follows:
The directors of the Board of Trade have
had their attention called 10 the fact that the
trade OF San Francisco with Humboldt Bay is
In imminent danger of being diverted to Port
land, Or, by discrimination in f.eights
The steamer South Coast has recently been
put on the run between Portland and San
Francisco and makes stops at EUREKA on her
down trip, carving sll classes OF freight from
Portland TO Eureka at 81 per ton. Whlle the
average rate of freight from San Francisco to
Eureka is about $S per ton. The distance from
San Francisco TO Eureka is only Z2O miles,
while from portland TO Eureka IL Is ooO lulIes.
Notwithstanding this difference IN distance In
favor of San Francisco the rate from here Is
about - per ton more.
1t, therefore seems necessary that some ac-
ton should be taken o. once II we desire TO re-
tain the trade of the territory mentioned, and
for this purpose g. conference OF representa-
tives of the different branches OF business;
with the directors of the board, has been called
at these rooms for Wednesday, March 4, 1896,
at 3 o'clock P. NJ.
Your counsel and advice is needed, and you
To ha
There were about twenty members OF the
board present, representing nearly as many
different branches of business. In the
discussion which took place it was asserted
that nearly 400 tons OF freight were shipped
from Portland to Eureka last month that
in the ordinary course OF events would
have been sold in San Francisco.
1t was decided TO request the presidents
of the different commercial organ iZations,
such as the Chambe OF Commerce, Manu-
facturers' and Producers Association.
Merchants Association, san Francisco
Fruit and Produce Exchange, Traffic
Association and Board of Trade OF
San Francisco to appoint two dele
gates to meet as committee IN the
rooms of the Board of Trade on Tuesday
next at 3 P. NJ. and take the matter up and
devise some means TO overcome the Port
land competition and the alleged d1scrim-
ination in freight rates.
1t is claimed by F. F. Connor, the gen.
eraI agent of the Oregon Railway and
Navigation Company in this City, that the
South Coast has only made the rate 81 from
Portland to Eureka when it was made by
the Alice Blanchard, operated by the
Northern Pacific Steamship Company be-
tween Portland and San Francisco, and
touching q: Coos and Hum boldt bays. He
also claimed that this rate is now made
on salt. coal and the lowest class of
freight, and that the rates on other COM
modities are higher, ranging from 81 to So.
He also denies any intention on the part
of the Oregon Railway and Navigation
Company to discriminate against San
Francisco in favor of Portland Or any other
pjty