The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-13

For Eve years the merchants OF the city
Of sgoEare have c0atended that an IN
tust discrimination In the matter 81 freight
rates has operated against them 4 MS
contention has tn tErn been taken o-l"i =
~ Interstate commerce. commission. ami
from the aeciAi0ns % that body 10 the
FEDERAL courts Testimony that woHia
III volumes has been taken IN spoEaHs
sestsI.. Tacoma, Portland and San Fran
cisco and the ablest attorneys procufa-
bic have fought the questions involved
inch Ay ineh up TO the last moment tnat
q aght could - made. II was a one-siaed
fzht. the city IF Spokane protesting AT
what appeared TO be "a pre1usiee @sa4h1t
II by the railroads and the latter defend
.ur themselves BY saying that all that
could be- done for the relief OF Spokane
merchants had been done and IS being
done all the time, the only real reason
that apokane - apparently suffering is
owing 70 rs geographical location
November D. 1894 Judge Eanford ap-
pointed lion. Lorenzo =. H. sawyer OF
San F.rancireo. special master in chaneeFy
60 take testimony and submit findings in
the case This work was completed April
IN San Francisco. and yesterday the
iplky findings OF Judge Sawyer number
irz forty-fse pages OF testimony and re-
pert were aied In the Federal court the
findings being "a favor Of the railroads
From the earliest features Of the case,
IL soush To the tine Of the building of the
Great Northern railroad. the master
races it's various features down to tho
t.n.e the last paragraph of the findings Here
written. One Of the claims made by the
SPOKANE association. which was organ
he'd to fight the roads. was that Of the
valuable franchises through the city given
10 President James J. Inn ia return for
tls promises to reduce the freiGht rates
fraFy be. "a saF
finds that competition naturally did re-
duce rates and that since the promises
alleged tn have been made BY MIR. Hill
freight rates 10 Spokane from the East
had been greatly reduced. The claim of
discrimination against Spokane holds In
the case OF Helena, and both are charged
against the geographical location OF the
two cities.
Spokane merchants asked for rate
from ST. Paul TO Spokane Of practically
81 per cent. OF the Pacific coast rate on
articles not subject 60 water competition
on the assumption that the shorter haul
entitled them TO "A prOportionateiy lower
rate. This claim Is controverted in the
findings b. the statement that the re-
naming portions OF the roads west Of
Spokane were built al greater expense
and are operated at greater expense than
the rest Of the lines. and yet in the long
haul 90 Pacific coast terminals the roads
We're obliged to meet water competition.
la the matter or transcontlnental bust
ness Judge Sawyer takes up the com
petition from Atlantic coast ports 20 Pa
eine coast ports by clipper ships. and the
more recent steamer competition via the
CUR OF Mexico. reviewing the recognition
OF the Sunset route" as water eompeti-
ton. the cargo business from Atlantic
coast ports To New Orleans and Galveston
where the rail route delivers them TO Pa
eidc coast ports and rates for transfer TO
Puget sound terminals are made with
the Pacific Coast Steamship line In compe-
tition with all rail- routes across the con-
tinent. All OF this water route COMPETE
ton II is necessary for the railroads TO
meet. and what appears as discrimination
and other interior towns Is simply what
the railroads are compelled to do In self
defense.
The contention made by Spokane ner-
chants that they are met with competition
from Pacific coast terminals e. not sus-
tanned. as Judge Sawyers findings set
forth that Spokane merchants receive by
the car load and pay ear load rates Ship
ments from Pacific coast terminals 70
Spokane would be al "A rate far less than
car loads. which is much higher and
would preclude an equality In competi-
ton.
No violation u the laws OF tho inter-
ptate commerce commission Is discover
able in a careful review 90 the testimony
and Judge Sawyer nudg Cor the railroads.