The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-06-05
PRESIDENT Governs STAND
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company TO Maintain Rates.
A NATTER OF ARBITRATION
Conference of Baltimore and Ohio
Officers With the Presidents IF
New York Central and Pennsy.-
vaaia Liues-No Agreement Limii-
ing Tonnage TO Any Percentages.

vaaia Iiues-No Agreement Limii-
ing Tonnage to Any Percentage.
baltimore, Nd, June 5.-The executive
committee of the Joint Traffic AssoCia-
ton will meet in New York next Tuesday
to consider the percentage of westbUHnd
business out of New York which the
baltimore and Ohio Railroad IL carry
my. AT this meeting the Baltimore and
OHIO will present its claims for an Increase
IN the allowance wmCh has heretofore been
the basis This has been A Per cent but
OF late, owing TO the imurUN ements whnh
have teen made IN tie physical condition
OF the road, the large number OF new cars
aud engines, aud Jae fast speed and better
service given, the read las teen hauling
ahouu double Of this amount.
Mr. John r Cowen sad yesterday IN
speaking OF The many statements winch
have teen made TO the effect uat at
meeting held in New York last Tuesday
Presidents Thomsonof the Pennsylvania and
Depew of the New York Central forced
the Haltnure and ONO to maintain rates:
1t was agreed that nothing should he
sad tout that conference. and AN lCath
to make public what occurred, hut as
some OF the newspapers have been fur
nISbed with untrCe statements / feel thai
il is the duty OF the baltimore and Ohio
receivers TO set themselves right before
the public.
Mr. Murray and my self had ali exceed
lnEiv uleasant interview with MtsSrs-
Thomson and Depew. There Was 40 pre-
tense toy any one present that any o. the
railroads out of New York We're maintain
inu rates. with the single exception o. the
Delaware. LaCkaw anna and Weste I'd, and
the pret,nS. mat the Baltimore and ONO
is acting differently from other roads is
one OF The persistent humbugs which has
been resolutuy and constantly patlishe'l,
and for which there is not the slightest
foundation in truth. We stated 10 MeSsrs.
Thomson and pepew that We were not only
dosi?ouS Of maintaining rates absolutely,
but in our Judgment the Baltimore and
ONO haC nothing 10 gain by cutting rates
and everything to gain by maintaining
them. if all our competitors did likewise.
We were equally nru, however, m the
statement that we did not intend 10 lie
down and let our traffic toe taken under
pretense OF complying with published tar
ifs. which were being ,vaded 10y all the
wel-kuown forms OF railroad deception.
After considerable discussion we made
two propositions First, that the B. Il =.
would absolutely maintain rates without
deviation OF a hair. with no evasion,
direct or indirect; that from June l We
would agree that the president of d
competing line, Mr.. L. b. Thomas, OF the
Erie. should absolutely take such steps as
he should deem necessary in order To secure
the maintenance Of rates by alllines: ward
sach reparation as he might determine
proper against the baltimore and
Ohio or any other line that failed
TO maintain rates, and we would
cheerfully comply with his orders, whatever
they might he if other lines would do the
same. We We're willing to give 10 MI.
Thomas. in whom we have the utmost
confidence, autocratic power over our
traffic aud our rates and the maintenance
thereof and abide by his decisions if other
lines would do the same.
There were no limitations Of any kind
upon our offer After a friendly discussion
our proposition was not accepted. We at
once made a second proposition. This was
that we would absolutely maintain rates.
If other lines would do the same, aud con-
fine our business to a fixed percentage of
New York traffic, as named ny US in the
proposition, and this was at once accepted
by MesSrs Thomson and Depew This
ended the interview, which was entirely
friendly throughout. There was not the
slightest mtimation that the 3. Il o. was
being forced in any particular
with regard TO the statement that the
old percentage a agreement has been in force,
II is sufficient t. say thatit has never been
observed. thatno attempthas been made 10
even up perceutagc nor have the various
COMPANIES made efforts TO Comply with the
awards 1t was agreed upon five CT six
years age, when the x Q. facilities olT of
New York were ahouteqnivaIent to haul
basket and a wheelharrow.
~ speak both for IN yself and MI Murray
wien 81 that we feel that the b Il .. is
now in a position 10 transact business: that
IT has ar active '-ioilant and aggressive
traffic mauagerffS-s - a..yI, methodiCal
and wide-av dkctra sp0TIaT1-Iiep Ttuent,
and increased facilities both in terminals
ami equipment nd therefore iSentitled to a
fair share OF the business, and can certainly
secure this fair share without cutting rates
If all companies will do the same
There is no enc who would 70 further
than m ySelf 10 confer, law OF no law, upon
aUFnn t1p1f8n man 10 i-Rflffr fhr Hlninfi-
namrr- ufTnfr7 g8naSh tkRtia uEtrUa Aag
been said about me receivers Of the Il K
o in relation to Traffic and the published
accounts of our meeting with MeSSrS
Thomson and nepew We're so CARRIED and
false that the self respect OF the receivers
alone vompeiS me to make this public de-
vial -