The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-05
GOOD FOR J0BBERs
INFoRMAT1ON RECEIVED THAT
THE LAKE AND RAIL MEN, NOW
MEETING,
HAVE REDUCED THE BASIS.

surprise after surprise in railroad
circles is sprung regarding west-bound
rates from the Atlantic seaboard to
the Twin Cities. A few weeks ago the
announcement was made that there
had been formed a gigantic company
with Erastus Wiman at it's head to
bring merchandise out of New York
and other Eastern ports to Buffalo
via the Erie canal, and from Buffalo
to ST. Paul via the Great Lakes. On
the heels of this piece of news, came
the thunderbolt from the 500 cutting
west-bound rates to $1.05 per hundred
pounds.
And now comes the third sensation
from very unexpected source. At
the meeting Of the Lake and Rail lines
in New York, at which all the Trunk
lines, Lake lines and lines from the
head of the lakes are represented,
which is now in session at New York.
it was decided, yesterday, to reduce
the lake and rail basis from the sea-
board to the Twin Cities nine cents
hrst-clasS and corresponding reduc-
tons in other classes. The rates win
become effective Immediately upon the
opening of navigation.
The announcement is of the utmost
Importance to the jobbers of the Twin
Cities and Duluth, who have made a
hot fight for a lower lake and rail
rate. Yet it is believed that the job
bers will be somewhat disappointed at
the result Of the New York meeting
which was expected to make still lower
concessions in view of the expected
competition of the new canal route
The trunk lines have held out against
the reduction for several years and it
is expected that the competition of the
500 and the possibilities involved IN
the new canal rate is what drove them
to it. The New York meeting has been
in session for several days Among the
officials present from st. Paul are:
General Traffic Manager Clarke, of the
Omaha: Second Vice President New
man and General Traffic Manager
Clarke, Of the Great Northern; Gen
eral Freight Agent Broughton, Of the
st. Paul & Duluth; General Freight
Agent Martin, if the 500, and others.
The lake and rail situation has been
on the ragged edge for two years past.
Last year the basis from the seaboard
to St. Paul was "a cents against 81 by
the canal route.
1t was evident that more trouble
would enSue this year than last in view
of the added competition, and so the
trunk lines caved. Just how deeply
the Great Northern and Northern
Steamship company figured into the
deal is not known, but it is no secret
that the Northern Steamship company
had the bulge on the lake trade last
season and will make fight for it this
year.
The new rates which will likely go
into effect on the opening of navigu-
ton carry 60 cents to Duluth and rs
to st. Paul, against 70 cents to Duluth
and "a to st. Paul last season. The
schedule last season was as follows,
for the six classes respectively:
To Duluth, zoe, 60c soc, 35c, soc, Csc
To st. Paul, SAC, 73c, SIC, 41c, 35c and
soc.
The rates which are believed to have
been agreed upon at the New York
meeting yesterday for the coming sea-
son are as follows:
To Duluth COO, SIC, Ale, soc, zee, 23c.
To st. Paul, 75c, Csc, SOC, 35c, soc
and 25c.
The lake and rail lines will also
undertake to vastly cut down the time
from the seaboard to the head of the
lakes and Twin Cities over the time
last year. The fastest time ever made
was about days and the average time
from New York to the head of the
lakes via lake and rail, is about ten
days. The railroads bring merchandise
all rail in about the same average,
except, of course, via fast freight lines,
which averages IS or 90 hours
Local jobbers declared yesterday
afternoon that they had heard nothing
of the proposed basis, and expressed
surprise that the concessions of the
ff.lIr1 inn ho1 elf
agreed, however, that with a 75-cent
basis a great saving could be made if
the other class rates were shaved down
sufficiently.