The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-28
lDVlNct N FREIGHT RATES.
Object Of a Railroad Meeting to
Be Held in Milwaukee.
TARIFF TO BE ON WAR BASIS,


the SOFto RACINE NO0ot o0o SOUoo
An important meeting OF freight officials
Of transconsinentsi railroads and their
eastern and central territory connections.
will be held in Milwaukee May TO- II
which time many matters not adjusted at
the meeting a, Monterey, Cal. held last
month will be taken up and disposed Of.
Ordinarily the NEE ,ings OF railwav freight
officials are not attended with any particu-
lar interest 10 outsiders except In the case
OF shippers who, while their individual OPP
erations may be the concern OF whole CON-
munities, forn in themselves but s email
percentage Of the population of cities.
This time the meeting in Milwaukee will
mean much more than usual. as rates that
are directly traeeable to the war viii be
made and many articles that have hther-
10 been given tariff less ,nan VAS justi-
fed will he placed upon revised list mai
win undoubtedly show pereep,ible adj
vance.
The entire Pacific coast Will be affected
by the change. Railroad men will argue
that the measures that viii be adopted at
the Milwaukee meeting are such as would
have been disposed of had the Monterey
meeting been prolonged, but the shipper
will see in the raise another question, and
that viii be the withdrawal of clipper
ship competition around Cape Horn ard a
similar withdrawal Of steamships from
the trade between Atlantic coast points
and Panama, carrying consignmSrts TO-
Pacific coast points. Nearly all OK the
American sailing ships and steamships on
the all water route from the Atlantic 10
the Pacific and tina water and rai' feute
via Panama, have been Withdrawn.
In an interview published in the Post
Intel.igencer a couple of weeks ago. Rus
sell A Colesrove, secretary OF the Caie-
grove line of steamers running to Havana,
stated that the war meant that nearly all
vessels of American lines running in wa
tiers south of the United States would be
withdrawn from service. The absence o.
competition by these steamers and The
sailing vessels around the Horn, creates
an opportunity for freight rate ADJUST
meRt. which railroads are going TO take
advantage Of. Until a cessation OF hos
tilities shipments from the Atlantic TO The
that there will not be any advance over
prevailing rates except on commodities
that have been held unreasonably low ow-
ing TO the competition Of ships. 1t Is TO
consider these items that the adjourned
Monterey meeting viii be resumed at MIL
waukee on the 10th of next month. The
changes in conditions viii, however, have
their effect.
Agent Of the Panama Railroad Here.
In connection with the probable change
in the condition of freight tariffs the pres
enee in Seattle just now of f. Il. Common,
Pacific coast agent of the Panama RaA-
road Company, is interesting. He is here
with the statement that thus far he has
received no notification from his com
pany's headquarters in New York of the
withdrawal of the steamers owned by the
Panama Railroad Company from its regu-
lar business from New York to Colon, on
account of war measures. The Panama
Railroad Steamship Line operates directly
from New York 10 Colon. distance or
] 9s5 miles the route taking the vessels
past Watlings island, Bird Rock island,
Fortune island. Castle island, Cuba, Hay
ii and Nayassa. all of the West Indian
group and between Cuba and Hayti- The
rail connection is made at Colon for Pam
length On the Pacific ocean side OF the
isthmus, connection is made with the
steamers of the Pacific Mail Company for
San Francisco, and with the Pacific Steam
Navigation Company for South American
ports.
Mr.. Conner, in discussing the meeting
of freight officials at Milwaukee. sad that
they viii undoubtedly base new tariffs
on existing war conditions. The al-rail
IN do
nrst class, $40 per cwt, and the
first-class rate via the isthmns is $i.l3.
The Panama Railroad Company is now
getting out new class tariff, giving To
Seattle exactly the same rate as TO san
Francisco. the lower minimum allowed
San Francisco being the only feature in
its favor The differentiai on commodity
rates is % per cent. for car load ship
ments. and % per cent. for less than car
lead lots. The new tariff viii apply to
all North Pacific coast terminal and COM
peting points. and includes Seattle. Port
land, Tacoma, Port Townsend, Victoria
ard Everett.
The sailings from New York for Colon
are every ten days. the steamers of the
Inc being the Alliance. Advance and
Finance. The iria IL now made to San
Francisco in forty days and Mr.. Conner
states that the tine TO Seattle would ex-
ceea that only by the length II time re-
quired 10 discharge ard connect with the
Pacific Coast Steamship Company. which
VIII be the steamer connection from San
Francisco 20 Puget sound. and the Oregon
Railroad & Navigation Company's steam
ers 10 Portland.
VIII Operate Despite War.
In spite of war the Panama Railroad
Company wifi continue making its prepa-
rations "a extend its business 10 Puget
sound, and Mr.. Conner says that, should