The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-14
SAYS 1T CUTS OFF TRADE.
ALLEGED DETERMINATIONS THAT
KEEP COTTON AWAY.

r.
Orbitant Cotton Rates-The Matter
Reported to she Freight Bureau.
Producers Trade Wherever Their
Cotton GOes-Capt. Purse Writes
an Explanatory Letter ON the
Subject.
Complaints have been made to the Sa-
vannah Bureau of Freight and Trans
portation of certain Determinations
| against Savannah which prevent cotton
from coming from Western Florida and
Southern Alabama to Savannah.
These complaints are made principally
| by wholesale business men of Savannah,
| who at one time had a large trade in those
sections. That trade has fallen off be-
cause the cotton from those sections does
not come to Savannah. If the cotton came
here, they say, the trading would be done
here, because the average farmer and
country storel1eeper makes his purchases
where he sends his cotton.
1t is said that this cotton is kept out
of Savannah, although the producers de-
! sire TO send 1t here, because the Louisville
! and Nashville railroad in Northwestern
| Florida makes a charge of 81. Is per bale
for hauling cotton from six to twelve
| miles to River Junction, where 1t is taken
! by the Plant system. 1t is also reported
that both the Plant system and Florida
| Central and Peninsular railroads have in
| creased their charges on cotton to Sa-
| vannah from those points So per cent. The
| combination of these charges, it is said,
practically prohibits the producer in that
| section from shipping to Savannah.
The matter was recently brought to the
| attention of Capt. D. G. Purse, commits
sioner of the freight bureau. 1t is well
known that the matter of the heavy
charge made by the Louisville and Nash
| Vile for the short haul was brought to the
| attention of the interstate commerce COM
| mission, but as yet no decision has been
| reached 1t is expected that a decision
| will be handed down within a few days
With regard to this and the other dis
ordinations Capt Purse yesterday ad-
| dressed the following letter to a WELL
known business firm which has made in
| qulries about them, and which has
! brought this and other matters to his
| attention.
oct. u, 1S97-Referring to our conversa-
| ton al your Office this morning in regard
| to freight rates on cotton from Cypress
Mariana, Chipley, and other points in
| West Florida, on the line of the Pensacola
and Atlantic division of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad to Savannah, 1
| beg TO reassert what 1 then said that the
| LIClGdS6u rates TINS season over last sea-
| son apply only on the Plant system and
Florida Central and Peninsular railroad
! the Increase on each of these railroads
! being So per cent, While the rate on the
! Pensacola and Atlantic division of the
| Louisville and Nashville railroad is the
same eXtortionate rate against which this
! bureau made complaint, on behalf of
| shippers in Florida and Georgia. to the
| interstate commerce commission, and
| which was heard at Savannah on April
| g. 1897, and decision of said commission
! may be handed down any day now.
This bureau has also directed the atten-
| ton of the interstate commerce commits
sion to the present status of rates since
| the Plant system and Florida Central and
! Peninsular railroad each advanced their
rates So per cent. from River Junction, the
| junction point with the Pensacola and
Atlantic division of the Louisville and
| Nashville railroad, to Savannah
This Increase has been made and is
maintained in the face of the fact that
| cotton is selling e'ow estimated cost of
| production, and bringing disaster to pro-
! ducers, and diverting traffic away that
came to Savannah last season.
II is no secret that cotton that sought
| Savannah last season from stations on
! the Pensacola and Atlantic division, be-
tween Snead's and Mariana, is now be-
| ing diverted to Columbus, Ga, being wag-
Oned TO the Chattahoochee river and
! thence by barge and steamboat, al less
for the whole haul than the Pensacola
and Atlantic divisions charge of $1.75 per
bale for SIX miles, from Sneads station
| to River Junction. But this latter rate
| of Sl.75 from Pensacola and Atlantic sta
tons TO River Junction has existed for
! several years. 1t was the % per cent. in
! crease in rates made by the Plant system
| and Florida Central and Peninsu!ar rail-
| road this season against which the people
| of West Florida rebelled, and were forced
to seek new outlets to market for their
products Upon our own railroads, there
fore, the responsibility for this condition
of things must rest solely and alone. When
asked for an explanation of this eXtraor-
binary action, one Of our railroads has,
! to this date, failed to even acknowledge
the letter Of inquiry addressed to it by
this bureau.
1t Is significant to note that at the rate
of 81 per bale from River Junction to Sa-
vannah the Plant system received last
year l.5 cents per ton per mile, and this
year that The increase of 50 per cent. in
rates yields the Plant system "a cents
per ton per mile. Yet in the testimony
of the general freight agent of the Plant
| system, before the interstate commerce
| commission, in its session here in April
! last, under oath, it was admitted that a
rate of 5 mills per ton per mile from
Charleston. s. c., to Valdosta, Ga, on
fertilizers, paid the railroads the cost of
its transportation, and anything above
! that, therefore, was clear profit. The
/ transportation of fertilizers involves ware
| housing for protection from the weather
| No such provision is made or required of
| railroads as common carriers in handling
cotton. By the high rates from River
junction and low rates from Charleston,
| SaVannahs business is equally affected by
unjust determinations by the Plant sys-
| TEN.
I sincerely hope that the daily expected
decision of the interstate commerce COM
mission may bring relief to the people of
| West Florida, and enable them to trade
with the market of their choice, Savan-
nah. by breaking down the Chinese wall
in rates raised by the Louisville and Nash
vile Railroad Company at River Junction,
to drive every body to Pensacola, Noble or
New Orleans for selling their product and
purchasing their supplies, Notwithstanding
it has been conclusively proven that long
staple Florida cotton and naval stores are
being driven away from their real mark
cts for most advantageous sales.
This bureau will never cease its efforts
! . -,