The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-03-23
FREIGHT
RATES ARE
INCREASED
First Action Of the
TranScOntinental
Bureau.
Minor Articles Disposed
Of by lacking on More
Tariff.
Question Of Inspectors Called
Up by the, Local
JObbers.
WOULD PREVENT FRAUD.
Should Be Stationed at All Receiving
Points in Pacific Coast
States.
Question Of Inspectors Called
Up by the, Local
JObbers.
WOULD PREVENT FRAUD.
Should Be Stationed at All Receivinu
Points in Pacific Coast
States.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

DEL MONTE, March 22-The men of
weights and measures sat in session
here from early in the morning until
late in the afternoon, and, strange to
say, did not accomplish one sOli-
tary thing, if the statements of the Sc
CretiVe delegates to the Transcontinen-
tai Freight Bureau meeting are to be
believed. However, whether they ac-
complished much or little this is what
was done:
The rate on machinery and kindred
articles that take the same rate was in
creased from 81 10 to 81 Is on carload
lots. Toys went up from 81 to 81 80 on
less than carload lots, and paints, oils
and varnish in less than carload lots
were put from 81 to 81 80.
These articles, being of minor import
ance, were attended to and dispatched
in order to adjust the rates on them as
quickly as possible and get them out
of the way so that when the considera-
ton of the regular tariff comes before
the meeting the members will not be
bothered in settling scattered matters.
The most important question that
came before the meeting and the one
which interests every mercantile house
on the Pacific Coast was the question
of appointing freight inspectors to be
stationed at the various receiving
points of Puget Sound, the coast and
the interior The only points at which
such inspectors are now placed are
Portland, San Francisco and Los An
geles.
This leaves all the points of the in
terror of the State, as we'll as those of
Puget Sound and many on the coast,
entirely without anyone who has the
authority to see that goods shipped in
are properly classified, and gives to
dishonest Eastern houses a splendid
opportunity to supply the small dealer
Of California with articles on which
the freight rate is exceedingly high at
an extremely low figure by under-cla
styling the goods when they are
shipped, thus shutting out entirely the
big houses of San Francisco, Los An
geles and Portland, when the goods
are inspected and where the full and
proper freight payments are eXacted.
To illustrate: The freight on plain
hardware is 81 and the rate on pistols
isi$2 40 per 100 pounds. An Eastern
h%use makes up a case of pistols, labels
it hardware" and ships it to Red
Bluff or Sacramento as such, paying
the 81 rate. There the goods are un-
loaded and sold to the small dealers
throughout the surrounding country,
and when the traveller from San
Francisco house that has to pay the
proper freight on the articles it re-
ceiveS comes into the territory he not
only finds it already stocked but is
laughed at for the figures he is forced
10 quote by the retailers, who have
bought from the Eastern house al the
much lower prices made possible to
them by the freight charges the ship
pers are enabled to escape through the
under classification.
Pacific Coast merchants have pro-
tested against this for some time and
have earnestly urged the appointment
1nSnRpfOTS o~to
points, claiming the returns from the
amount of fraud they will prevent will
more than equal their salaries and
other incidental expenses of their ap-
pointment, but to-day for the first time
the matter has been seriously taken
The freight bureau gave it consider
able attention and finally laid it on the
table for further consideration, as it
was considered of too much import
ance to be lightly disposed of.
j. w. Spencer, general freight inspec-
tor of the Pacific Coast, was called
down to appear before the bureau in
order to advise on the matter, and he
will remain here until it is finally dis
posed of.
The balance of the session was given
over to the disposal of routine matters
and the discussion of the division of
rates.
Tomorrow representatives of the
Pacific Coast Hardware and Metal
Association and delegates who repre-
sent the jobbing interests of the Pa
cific Coast will appear before the bu-
reau in opposition TO the representa-
tives of Chicago and st. Louis hard
ware houses and as the champions of
each side contend for supremacy the
temperature is expected to raise far
above the boiling point.
This question of an equal rate on
carload and less than carload ship
fc foI or oil iv1%a 81
and is of vital Importance to the job
bers and big wholesale men of San
Francisco, but il touches almost every
house of any Importance on the whole
Pacific Coast, to whom such discrim-
nation in favor of Eastern houses
would mean serious curtailment of
business. Consequently the fight which
the local men will make to preserve
their rights will be one to the bitter
end. The principal conduct of the
coming battle has been entrusted to
the traffic committee of the Pacific
Coast Hardware and Metal Associa- !
ton, which is composed of the follow
ing merchants representing the jobbing
interests of the State from San Diego I
to Seattle: Thomas Hannyman of I
Portland, George Boole of Los Angeles, |
and Frank L. Brown, w. r. Wheeler, |
c. Rulfson and Charles H. Tay of San
Francisco.
4nlS committee Hdu DeeH mere Slice
yesterday morning, but has as yet |
made no move of any kind, but has oc-
Cupied itself in reading and correcting |
the proofs Of large number of printed /
documents sent down to it. and which /
will, if circumstances make it neces-
sary, be presented to the Freight Blu
3eau tomorrow in support of the local
side Of the controversy. In addition to
this committee there are number of
prominent merchants here who have
come from all parts Of the State to
watch the battle, and to assist as far
as in their power the endeavors Of the
Hardware and Metal Association COM