The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-26
Union Pacific and Western End
livestock War.
DIPLOMACY OF WESTERN
PARK CITY IS NOW A COMMON
POINT.
Construction of Heber City Branch
Forces Union Pacific to Advance
Its Livestock Rate From Park
City-Western's Move to Protect
Its Traffic.

The. object of the Rio Grande West
ern in building the spur from Provo
! through the Provo canyon to Hebel
and Park City, which has proved
more or less of a puzzle since its in
ception, has at last been solved. In a
nutshell, the Heber branch is the key
to the commercial situation in the
Provo valley.
Heretofore the rate per standard car
of cattle between Utah common points
and the Missouri river has been S1S2.
This rate applied to all points where
two or more railroads enjoyed shipping
facilities east, and has been effective
on both the Rio Grande Western and
Union Pacific at all stations between
Ogden and Thistle. Park City, not be-
ing formerly considered common
point, and being intermediate between
Ogden and Missouri river points on the
Union Pacific, has had the lower rate
of $119.65 on cattle to Kansas City,
Omaha and Council Bluffs. The Rio
Grande Western has a narrow gauge
road from Salt Lake into Park City,
but it's freight traffic has not included
cattle to any extent, as neither the sta
bility of the cars, nor the expense of
transferring the livestock to standard
gauge, after arrival in Salt Lake, would
warrant 1t.
To Protect Wasatch Traffic.
Wasatch county, east of Park City, is
rich in timber, agricultural lands and
livestock and the Union Pacific has
reaped the monopolist's usual harvest
transporting the products east. Again,
the difference in rates per standard
carload of livestock between common
points and Park City being about $3.50
per car, the Western feared that its
large shippers would drive their herds
to that point in order to effect the con-
siderable saving possible under exist
ing circumstances. In the meantime
the Heber branch into Park City, which
will cause that place to fall under the
common point head. is being pushed to
completion. and it's interests must
necessarily be. protected by the West
ern from encroachments by the Union
Pacific.
Two weeks ago the Western took the
bull by the horns and showed fight by
reducing the rate per standard car of
cattle from common points from S132
to the Park City S119.65 basis. or diff
ference of s12.35 per car. Naturally, the
Union Pacific met the cut, and the
shippers have had the benefit of the
reduction since that time. and the war
has gone merrily on between the roads.
Old Rates Restored.
1t has been anything but a remuner-
alive squabble, but the Western hav-
ing taken the initiative, was determined
to fight it through to the bitter end
But today concord and harmony are
once more enthroned. A meeting was
held yesterday and the old rates of
s132 from Utah common points to the
Missouri river restored, on the condi-
ton that the Union Pacific raise the
rates from Park City from s119.65 to
s132, and thereby put a'stop to the prac
tice of driving the herds from Rio
Grande Western territory into Park
City for the sake of saving s12.35 per
carload. The Union Pacific agreed TO
the conditions, and the restoration of
the old rates from Utah common points
will take effect today. This does not
mean a rise in rates. except by COM
parison with what has prevailed since
the first skirmish of the rate war, but
it does mean a rise of s12.35 per car
load from Park City and Wasatch
to the Missouri river.
This action has the effect of extend
ing the Utah common points into new
territory. The shippers from Wasatch
county and Park City will, no doubt,
make vigorous protest.
Peculiar Conditions
This matter brings to light a peculiar
state of things. Under the former con-
iitions Park City was not considered a
common point for certain classes of
freight, but it was for passengers. in
spite of the fact that two distinct
roads entered and left it. Now, the
query arises: Can a place situated on
two roads be considered a common
center for passengers and not for
narrow gauge road of the
Rio Grande Western into Park City
prohibiting the handling of
certain kinds of freight.
The action in making the rate on the
1872 basis makes Park City a common
point. in spite of the above peculiarities.
The completion of the Heber City
branch will solve the problem. but in
The meantime the situation takes on an
phase.