The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-17

A war OF rates on canned salmon from
the Pacific coast TO Atlantic seaboard ter
nsnais is ia prospect. The Southern Pa
cifo railroad has announced that II VIII
Immediately put In effect tariff or %
cents per hundredweight, car loads, from
San Francisco to New York, Boston and
other terminals on the Atlantic coast. The
present rate from Northern Pacific points
is - cents.
A meeting of the representatives OF the
northern lines has been called at Portland
for the purpose OF taking the matter UP
and determining what course TO pursue.
w. l.. Bennam, general Western freight
manager OF the Great Northern, left for
Portland Friday 10 consult with the freight
representative there Of the Oregon Rail-
road & Navigation. the Union Pacific,
Northern Pacific and Canadian Pacific.
The rate OF 50 cents per hundred an
nounced by the Southern Pacific is % cents
less than the rate now in effect to the At
iantic coast on all the northern lines. This
includes the roads named above.
A question of water competition enters
into the problem. From the canneries OF
the Alaska Packing Association on Puget
sound and In Alaskan waters canned sal
mon are frequently shipped in sailing YES
sells to San Francisco at 3 comparatively
low rate. This rae has frequently been
but cents per hundred. 1t will be i'm
mediately seen that the Southern Pacific
could absorb this rate and still underbid
the northern lines on the business of ship
ping the product of the canneries to the
Atlantic seaboard.
Among railroad men the fear is ex-
pressed that ii the Southern Pacific car
ries out Its announced intention OF cutting
the rate on salmon TO 50 cents, there Will
be a general decentralization II not an
actual war; on this product. Said a rail-
road man yesterday: The action of the
Southern Pacific has been taken in the
hope OF diverting the business heretofore
enjoyed by the northern lines TO its own
line. The rate has been Is cents per hundred
all rail- and 20 cents. lake and rail, from
North Pacific coast points TO the Atlantic
seaboard. 1t will be readily seen that the
Southern Pacific rate will seriously dis
turb the business of the northern lines
In this fight the Canadian Pacific, North
ern Pacific, Great Northern. Oregon Rail-
road IL Navigation and the Union Pacific
ara pitted again the Southern Pacific.
Methods OF dealing with this new prob
lem have been under consideration by the
lines have named for several days past
AS far as / know. no agreement has been
reached. II Is possible that the rate from
the North Pacific coast to the Atlantic
viii be reduced so as TO meet the cut of
the Southern Pacific. 1t will not. however
be lowered to 80 cents. We can add to this
rate the cost OF shipping the salmon from
the canneries at Astoria and the Sound TO
San Francisco"
BY steamer from the Sound 10 San Fran
cisco the tariff rate on canned salmon is
81 per ton, or 20 cents per hundred. 1t is
alleged that on large shipments the steam
or lines'freely make rate of So per ton
or is cents per hundred. AT the old rate
Of 10 cents from the North Pacific coast
the southern lines can underbid the north
ern lines 10 cents per ton. with a rate from
San Francisco to the East OF 80 cents per
hundred.
w l.. Renham. OF the Great Northern:
Assistant General Freight Agent s c. Full
ton, OF the Northern Pacific: Allan Gamer
on. travelling freight agent OF the Canadian
Pacific. and James G.. Woodwork. assist
ant general freight agent OF the Oregon
Railroad 4 Navigation, have the matter
In charge