The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-01
Inspectorship of Transcontinental
Freight Bureau Here.
CHIEF INSPECTOR =. W. SPENCER
0e - New - seattle so Organise the
0aynOIds. Of Kansas City, and
George w. HafIfen, of san Frsn-
eaee~. VIII Begin work, One NJ the
n. p; the Other ut the e. y.

:. W. Spencer. chief inspector OF the
Tranrontinentai Freight Bureau, arrived
10 Seattle Friday Night from San Francisco.
and yesterday spent his time among the
freight officials % the various roads enter
ins Seattle. Tae object OF Mr. spencsr's
viAt II TO establish. an inspeetorsssip in this
city, and tomorrow morning ]. r. Rey-
noids. ~ Kansas City. and George w.
Nailson. OF San Francisco. .ill commence
work a. the representatives. Of the freight
bureau. one Mt the freight depot Of the
Northern Pacific and the other a. the Great
Northern.
The supreme court lag. year decided that
the traffic associations we're Illegal, and
this. they we're practically trusts in their
agreements on freight rates. Consequently
the assocaa tons went oas OF business and
q bureau OF .nformation by which roads
keep tab on one another arose over the
oa;es OF the trusts. All Of this wae very
nice for the roads. IA !: maintained the
agreements as 10 ratez without the onen-
efye Organization. Then along came the
Tranecontinensa Freight Bureau with a no
rituals Its Intention being TO keep railroads
straighf and In this respect 10 the salts
faefion OF the shippers who are compelled
10 pAtronIze the roads.
When the Transcontinentai Freight Blu
Yeau was formed. the roads leading 20 Seat
tie. Portland and Tac.sua refysed TO enter.
and the bureau WAS compelled 10 establish
Ito headquarters on the Pacific coast at
San FrsEcisco. whore there is no rail-
If a. Zen q sxfE -
three transcontinental lines The north
ern roads were engaged all this time in a
quiet freight warfare and each VAS getting
afi the business Ii could. In any way that
Il could, without any restraint. except an
aSreemen: that noue of them lived up 10.
There wero all sorts OF mutterings. and
freight agents and solicitors, were COM
peIled at all times 10 be on the alert for
the side issues that were continually offer
ing themselves In the transportation con-
troversy.
BY the action OF the frs4gat officials In
convention at Monterey. last month. an
agreement WAS reached by which the
northern roads Will enter into pariicipa-
Ton Of all the good that Is said 10 follow
IN the. trail OF the Transcontlnentai Freight
Bureau and It's operations OF censorship and
direction. The duties Of the inspectors will
b 70 check shipments where they would.
the sheds. be suhIec, to error by which the
shipper might over or under pay. or tho
road over or under charge. The inspection
win Be q guarantee TO both parties to
shipping contract OF It's correctness
II win also have the effect OF keeping tho
Freight solicitors In line. A ease In point
Of tho condition that has existed would be-
that cf merchant who had g heavy con-
oiGrment OF goods coming ia him from
q 10 sa4sfI EaA IND
"a TO death by freight men anxious to have
the goods routed over their respective lines
IL n not 10 be doubted that the shipper
would make hia choice OF lines upon ba-
Gds of advantages offered and II he ordered
his goods shipped by a certain route IL
might be a shading Of rates. rebate or
come substantial acknowledgment OF the
favor. He would however. no sooner &C
cept OF this advantage than he would think
that perhaps his business competitor was
getting quite as much and perhaps more.
The uncertainty a. TO rates VIII be dene
away with in the inspection. as cia$sifica-
tions Will be enforced The joint tariffs
will not bs manipulated and a billing under
classification will come exactly az II Is In
tended While the merchant Teny not
profit by cut rate or 4 rebate. Sc wiil en-
JOY the sas,sssc;iou OF knowing tha. rs
has the same rates az his competitors ara
that there Is no advantage anywhere.
Goods under thu FIRST class In the tariffs
win no; come third-clsss 10 secure a lower
shipping rate.
Mr.. Spencer stated tina; to his certain
keowieage there were merchants ia san
Francisco. prior to the ,nspectorship VINO
never allowed rates Ia be manipulated -
their advantage and there were others who
never made shipments straight. nat who
jnggled rates in every way 10 secure n
small advantage IN the Inspection %
freight hy the Transcoafnental FrosEat
Bureau officials the advantage. according
90 Mr.. Spencer Is with the merchants ar
shippers. az close questions are decided IN
their favon Without the Inspection. II
has been found impossible 10 Keep solicitors
In line. and Mr.. spencer said yesterday
that he never knew solicitors - ne ssra isht
this side OF sheol unless they wase @og1-
PEELED 10 be,
Some local freight officials yeat9rsd the
opinion yesterday that che pressure brought
BY tho merchants themselves ggsoa The