The Saint Paul globe., 1899-12-26

The Raise on Between 400 and 500
Ranges From Is to 60 Per Cent
Coal West of Chicago Pushed Up
% Cents "a Ton and ON Cattle 2S
Cents Per 100 POunds-NO Ad-
vance on Oils.
CHICAGO, Dec 25-The new classif-
cation of rates which shippers have anx-
iously awaited is out. Copies were sent
to the railroads Saturday by the Chicago
freight committee, and the most impor
tant jobbers and shippers of this city
will get them during-t the week. Between
400 and SEQ articles are affected, the
raise in each case varying from Is to go
per cent. AS a general thing all Of these
articles, many of which are Commodities
that heretofore went under commodity
rates. have been raised one classification,
whether the shipments aggregate car
Load lots s,or. less than car loads. The
great bulk of commodities have been
classified. This means an increase in the
cost of transportation of nearly Is per
cent an increase which the consumer
viii of course have to pay.
1t would be impossible to enumerate
the whole list Of articles affected Agri-
cultural implements, when shipped in
car loads. remain untouched, but when
less than car load lots are given the in
crease in some instances is great For
instance, the increase on tool racks will
approximate 40 per cent, the classification
being advanced two grades. Then each
of the following articles has been ad-
vanced one class an increase in added
freight transportation which will be
equivalent to Is to 20 per cent. This
list includes binders. corn harvesters,
planters, cultiEators, hoes, hay tedders.
harrow disks, mowers, reapers, grain
cradles. furrowers, nearly ali kinds of
plows. rakes, scythes, stalk cutters,
stump pullers, etc.
Shippers of furniture will not be very
hard hit. There are few changes made
in the schedule, the most important of
which are on chairs and spring beds.
These articles are placed in class when
sent in car load lots. Desks tables, set
tees, cupboards and general school fur
niture retain the same rates.
Soap manufacturers, however, and cof-
fee shippers and importers will be taxed
about Is per cent more, car load lots be-
ing advanced one grade. The same is
true Of tinware dairy pals, ETC., the in
crease in this class of goods being about
20 per cent.
Breakfast foods such as oatmeal and
farina, whether in packages or bulk, will
be transported at the old rates, but oats
in bulk and grain in general, rye, wheat
barley, etc, have the rates pushed up
Canned stuffs, whether fish, fruit, vegeta-
bles or meats, are advanced, the raise
ranging between 10 and .25 per cent. All
kinds of fruit jars are advanced. Confec-
tionery, whether in pals cases, drums or
half. barrels, also feel the. effect of the
raise. .....-. .-s. -,-
Handlers and manufacturers of crock
cry will find an advance of 10 to % per
cent, but earthenware, with the excep-
tion Of chimney caps and tops, suffer no
raise
There is a considerable increase in the
scheduling Of building materials and such
articles as go inLo the construction of
houses. Building cement is given a big
boost; so is roofing paper, lime, steel or
iron screws, iron wire, wire rope and the
like. Iron trolley and telegraph poles
railing, sledges, rivets, etc., feel the ad-
vance.
Among household goods for use in the
Kitchen iron pans, skillets, sadirons, etc,
are advanced 20 per cent
The rate on coal west of Chicago is
pushed up 25 cents on the ton, and that
on cattle to q cents per 100 pounds, and
on hegs and sheep 25 to 80 cents. Live
poultry will not be accepted in car load
lots of less than 200 pounds, which is
an advance over former rates, while the
advance on dressed meats ranges from
Is to 80 per cent. But perhaps one Of
the greatest advances is on hay. The
tariff on this, with a minimum weight
Of 10000 pounds for car load lots will
approximate I.10 per ton. Other articles
which viii pay more hereafter for their
transportation are school states, fire
crackers, hunters shot, whether in
double bags, kegs or boxes, sewing ma
chimes, cash registers, etc. There is no
advance on oils, such as kerosene, gaso-
line, benZine or naphtha, but aniline oils
and creosote are advanced one grade
Speaking Of the new classification and
commenting on the objections raised by
shippers, Chairman J. F. Tucker of the
Central Freight Association said:
THE new classification represents days
and weeks of the hardest kind Of labor
We have endeavored to be fair to all
parties, shippers as well as common
carriers. There is no reason why rail-
roads should not take advantage of the
present prosperity which it is admitted
by all generally prevails in all lines Of
industry. Railroads are paying more
today for everything they need in the
line of equipments Locomotives cost
by 80 to 70 per cent more to build now
adays than was the case a year or two
years ago. Even wages are higher. I
cannot see any reason why railroads
should continue to quote panic rates
while merchants, manufacturers and
others are advancing prices. I know as
a fact, and so does everybody, that we
pay more today for all our commodities
and necessaries than we did a year ago.
Another thing. Many persons say
what's the use of having any classiica-
tIons anyway. Why, if it were not for
classification there would be chaos, and
railroads might tust as well shut up shop
and go out Of business 1t is this very
system Of classification that we have
devised which helps not only to maintain
rates at a reasonable level, but abso-
lutely prevents imposition on shippers.
The railroads simply ask for fair play,
nothing more, but nothing less
The new official classification book was
prepared by C. E. Gill, chairman, and
r. G. Stevenson, secretary of the official
classification committee
SOUTHERN PACIFIC FIGHT.