The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-23
FREIGHT RATE CUTTING.
Eastern connections Charged With
shaving Schedules tn Compeff-
tive Pacific Coast Poiuts-A Rail-
reader Expresses His Opfnfou

very Interesting and 10 some exteas
unusual condition prevails among the b!4,
tFansconilhenIai lines and taesr various
connections between the East ard the
west. TIE railroads are endeayorirlg Nv
nara work and persistence to save the
,a' Tariffs from going ID pieces under
s.is feie oeclsl0n OF the supreme coGrt hy
"Hlca combines ami pools for controlling
commerce were declared Illegal The rules
ot ne interstate commerce commission are
very stflct on TatH-cGtting and Vet il <
aFerFeo that not over one-fourth OF the
car lead shipments from Eastern points 10
rates ~
The situation is Il, some extent unusual
TINS WINTER from the fact that the tend
ency TO destroy the tariffs to make couces-
SONS. reodteS and the ike has extended
long after the close OF the lake season,
usually signal for a stiffening u rates
anu a cessation OF cutting under tariffs
Both Great Northern and NaE+Aern Pa
cinc OFFICIALS are ostenSioly liscountenanc-
Ing anything like cutting under the tariff
or making concessions 10 shippers vet the
competition Is very keen at this point and
charges are frequently made though not
offen proven. that the successful solicitor
nas obtained concession from a connect
ing liae which has ena bled him to obtain
certain bit OF business.
In spite of the tendency TO demoraiize
freight rates al competing points, railroad
men generally aver that the trunk lines
centering here maintain the tariffs strictly
and that there is little ground for th.,
charge that there is indiscriminate rate
slasning. one well-known railroad man
said yesterday that both the northern lines
We're holding strictly to the tariff but thar
east of ST. Paul there was more or less
shaving OF tariff rates continually going on
This year after the lake lines quit bust
ness, ne said. there was no diminution
or the rate-cutting in the territory of the
central Traffic Association where Hes the
seat OF the trouble. The result has been
that much OF the west-bound business this
winter has been done under tariff To b.,
sure, the concessions obtained by shippers
are small. but they count. l DO not see
why the Eastern roads permit this to- con-
unue, but of course it's no affair of the
western lines who invariably refuse 10
lessen their earnings
eases are common. OF course where
shippers come in ana say they have such
and such a rate below tariff, and they ask
II we VIII do better. and premise the bush
ness II We say We Will. OF course we can
offer no man anything lower than the
tariff. and that is the universal reply.
St!i!, that man sometimes finds a road in
the East which promises 10 handle MS
stun at even Il greater reduction from
tariff than he had secura.l. and the snip.
n1ent goes t'irougn. : )me-srlss TIA shirrtr
is disappointed and sometimes not. Once
IN while they refuse the rebate, and
that's the way it goes
AS to tbs trunk lines which come 10
Seattle. | believe they are rigidly uphold
ing the tariffs. as they should do. What
little rate-sllavlng is now going on is done
by the Eastern roads.