The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-13
THE PROSPEROUS WEST.
W. A. Bissell, Of the Santa Fe, Is
Pleased With the State.
RAILROADS FORM a POOL.
Orxanisatien MafntafneA by Trans
~a..ourI Lfnes EnaeavoFs to
Maintain Stability Of Freight
Rates-Psrposes Of New Combine
ExpDaineA by Mr.. Bisseu - 4
new Oriental Steamship Line


". A. B;sseil, assistant freight frame
manager Of the Atchison. Topeka & santa
Fe, accompanied by party OF tf'enaS'
reached Seattle yesterday on MS private
car from Chicago. Mr. Bissel is one OF the
oldest general officers of the Santa Fe anu
this is his first visit to the Pacific coast
in q number of years. He is travelling ex-
c,usiyely for pleasure and recreation. ne
says. Yesterday he told a Fost-ih'eii'-
gencer reporter that in his opinion the IA
effic northwest was as attractive and as
PROSPEROUS a country as he had visited IN
his present trip.
Seattle IL destined 10 become the great
est commercial en;repot OF the Nortn IA
c!fic coast" were Mr. Bisselfs words.
have been greatly impressed with the SUD-
ssantial appearance of this city ana the
many evidences at hand Of its prosperity
and its constant progress. 1t seems TO me
that Seattle is admirably situated in re-
spect 10 transportation facilities. In the
future OF this city / feel that We have an
interest for the reason that hundreds and
perhaps thousands OF people from the ter
ritory tributary to the Santa Fe left their
homes last winter and journeyed to Alaska
via this city.
Enthusiastically the commercial cities
on the Pacific coast are in lire for a great
business The West seems to have taken
on a new lease Of life. Everywhere have
travelled there are ample and convincing
evidences OF prosperity. Washington ap-
pears to be in the vanguard OF prosperous
states This country is ripe for an era
Of immigration and development"
What Is there In the story that the
western roads have formed pool in yio-
Iation of the antitrust iaw?'' asked the
reporter.
The Railroad Pool.
shortly before left Chicago" replied
Mr.. BIsseIl, 1.-The transmissouri railroads
had about completed an agreement for the
maintenance OF freight rates in the West.
The organization is called the Western
Trunk Line Committee and its executive
officers are the old officers OF the Western
Freight Association. These are: &. A.
Parker, formerly freight traffic manager
of the Missouri Pacific; II. II. Cartwright,
formerly Of the Chicago & Alton; j. L..
Shute formerly traffic manager of the
Great Northern, and G. l.. Wellington.
formerly general traffic manager of the
Wisconsin Central. These men are sim
ply representatives OF an organization in
which all the transmissouri lines figure.
70
should be understood that the traffic men
employed by the different roads are sup
posed to look out for their interests. They
can only go SO far. They know what the
law is. They know the purport and effect
of the late decision of the supreme court
as a result OF which the Western Freight
Association was dissolved. But you can
put 1t down as fact that while the roads
of the West may be barred from forming
such q pool as is obnoxious TO the law.
yet they are free TO take such steps are
reasonable and lawful to make their bust
ness profitable. Is there any reason.
tell me. why man or woman who has
hts or her money invested In railroad Sc
curiiies is not entitled 10 Il fair return on
the Investment?
To Equalfxe Rates.
1.-THE primary object TO be obtained by
| the transmssouri roads in forming this
combination Is to maintain the stability
| Of freight rates. 1t will be conceded that
| the big shipping and manufacturing CON
| Germs of tke East. compared to the small
| Individual shippers, oftentmes obtain IA.
| vors which their weaker rivals are deprived
| Of 1t is obvious that II Il company comes
! 10 railroad with shipment OF a hundred
| cars OF certain goods. /; is In a position 10
| demand a better proposition than "a man
a Il
! or a week. II is the purpose OF the new
combination of the western roads to reach
| such eases as these: 10 make the large
| concerns pay the iariT. II is possible also,
under such an arrangement. TO enable The
| smaller lines 10 obtain their share of the
! business without resorting to rate cutting.
BY all even distribution OF tonnage, in
| other words. everybody interested obtains
| his share OF the business.
'-rhjs, in nutshell. is the object and
| purpose Of the new combination Of
| the western roads Rates have not been
| raised except on packing house products
| from the Missouri river. Some time ago a
rate Of ; cents per loo was made from Kan
sas C1ty 10 Mississippi river points. and
10 cents 10 Chicago. The normal rate is
1S1r and - cents respectively. I. viii he
seen that the rate referred 70 vas absurd
~ low. There was a purpose In IL. yen
can be assured % that IL was not a le2i-
innate business proposition however, be-
cause there vas ia proflt whatever i'm il.
Except in The case ~ packing house prod
ucts. however. rates have rot been ai-
vaneed
''of course there IS question as 30 how
far the traffic men OF the roads Interested
In the new agreement can go. We 10
not expse; 80 viola 4 the law ~ the
same time We are hound 10 look cut for
the interests % the roads which We repre-