The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-07
A. S. KERRY'S KICK
Against Water Rents and
Switching Charges.
WHAT RAILROAD MEN SAY.
The MN Man sends . Letter 70 the
CITY Councfl Making . strong
Protest
!. 8 Kerry.

Tn. essrr OF letter from A. = Kerry.
the Eanberrnan. yesterday with ne ~
clerk IN which some OF TIE caSeo14a
-aerfs with which manufacturers a. eoN
fronse1 In this city. had lie eI-cl %
bringing cut opErscrs on notn sfors %
case that has been On the books IoE 800
time past The letter = addressed % tNs
council under 6atesos June {. and . as 4o1-
lows:
'xsentlernan: II appears TO me ina,
great injustice S being done 20 TIE manu-
featuring industries OF this city. IN eoaFs
Ing them nearly double the water reAt -aA1
you are charging the elevators being op-
Grated BY city water throughout tae CITY.
II consume OF an average upwards %
Ica9a gallons per month. and otStrlouse
ia the city, ia ray roll alone. over ssss"
per month. which. n justice. should en-
title me TO az least as low water rent As -
being paid by these elevators
In my Judgment the thing should %
reversed and tha lowest possible charge
made TO manufacturing industries. based
either on the pay roll or number OF persons
employed / know Of several instances
where manufacturing establishments nave
been forced TO locate elsewhere on accouh.
OF The heavy tar for water. taxes ana
switching.
There gs a large field for improvement
IN the matter OF switching. etc. which, *
appears 20 me, can only be made ny you.
For instance, the Northern Paeihc or
Great Northern railroad company Will ao-
sorb the local charges on all humber pro-
ducts offered by almost any standard
gauge railroad in the state. which, pre-
sumo. viii average more than $40 per car.
At the same time they refuse 10 ABSORB
my switching charge OF 81 per car. IL ap-
pears to me that this Is a direct diserlm-
nation against our local rnanuLac1arlns
industries.
During the month OF April I paid s'A
switching charges, which Is q direct TAX OF
about 70 cents per thousand on all humber
thus shipped. and fail to see how we can
expect TO either have new Industries To-
cate with us or have those that are now
In operation continue TO exist with such
compe tition."
T.. H. Gray, OF the Great Northern.
when shown copy OF the letter, said:
THE charge made for switching Is not
one made by the Great Northern, nor,
believe. by the Northern Pacific The fact
OF the matter is that the Kerry mil 3 not
located near the lines OF either of the roads
mentioned. and the charge for switching
the cars is made by the Oregon Improve
ment Company. on the line Of whose road
the Kerry mill Is cutting lumber. The o.
/. Company Is certainly entitled 10 pay
uent for switching cars for through ship
ment East. IN which il has no other inter-
est AS far as our road (the G. NJ Is con-
cerned. we are trying in every way to
favor Seattle shippers. and I always take
their complaints up personally. Mr..
Kerry's grievances are now before the off,
ciais OF the road"
The letter wlsen shown 10 Judge Burke
stirred Up mud hornets nest. Said the
attorney Of the Great Northern;
This council has nothing TO do with the
Sr1 fz1 20 raj
roads upon the agreement TO comply with
certain conditions. The roads themselves
fix the freight rates. AS far as Kerry's
complaint r. concerned, 7 know nothing
more than Is contained I'm that letter
but 90 know that his mill Is not located
on our tracks. When his cars are de-
iivered TO Us then our responsibility be-
gins. The mill Ii on the line OK the Ore
gon Improvement Company. and they
probably do charge him Sc a car for
switching; that Is their interest. II Mr..
Kerry thinks we can build a line direct
10 his naiIl for his business he Is in error:
we are not prepared 10 do so at present"
T. a Nadeau. OF the Northern Pacific.
was found at his Office and said: Switch
ing charges CT any and al kinds can only
be obyiated by the organization OF ter
nainai company in this city IN which ell
OF the roads would be interested. The
same condition OF affairs does not exist
Ia Tacoma or Everett. where there Is DIX
one railroad. but the organization OF n
terminal company was found 20 be neces-
sary in Portland, and eventually must
be here. Then there would be no switch
ing. The absorption OF other roads IL
not really an absorption, but the making
~ through rates. The railroads OF the
East must IN ali Justice make the same
rates from points on other roads, with
which they connect Moreover. the roads
M not absorb switching or ho@s charzea
on shipments OF that character. do
think that Kerry has a righteous COM
plant, because with the switching fees
he cannot compete with other mills To-
Gated On the lines OF through roads, but
I don't see how the matter can be ad-
1lsted az present. The only way that en-
tire Justice could be done shippers
would. as I say. be tha organization OF a
terminal company and that might be-
brought about by the council takins
measures 20 enforce such an organsza-
ton"