Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-24
DISCUSSING FREIGHT RATES
Donfab Of Railroad Representatives with
Commerce Commission.
MANY WESTERN LINES ARE REPRESENTED
Committee is Appointed TO Confer
Looking to Action for General
stability In Rntes-Few
Complaints Are Made.

WASHINGTON, March 2s.-The presi-
dents, general managers and other repre-
sentatives OF about twenty-five railroad
companies. comprising almost the entire
trunk service between Chicago and Lake
Michigan and the Ohio and Mississippi river
and beyond, were in executive conference
throughout the day with the Interstate
Commerce commission.
The result was a verbal assurance on the
part OF all the roads to maintain the tariff,
and the appointment OF committee TO con-
fer with the commission tomorrow looking
to more definite and specific action for Sc
curing general stability in freight rates
This committee consists OF Paul Morton,
vice president OF the Atchson. Topeka &
Santa Fe II. G. Burt, president Of the
Union Pacific A. c. Bird, general traffic
manager OF the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul; B. f. Yoakum, vice president of the
St. Louis & San Francisco; c. G. Warner,
vice president Of the Missouri Pacific, and
Edward S. Washburn, president of the Kan
sas City, Fort Scott G. Memphis This COM
mittee will meet with the commission to-
morrow at 10 o'clock. The general confer
ence closed after being in session from
II this morning until 6 p, m, and most OF
the magnates have returned home.
Western Lines Represented.
Those from the west were President
Burt, Union Pacific; the general manager
and traffic mauager of the Kansas City,
Pittsburg & Gulf; Mr.. Storm of the Mime
apolis ST. Louis & Sault Ste Marie, Vice
President Morton OF the Santa Fe, Traffic
Manager Bird, Chicago, Milwaukee & st.
Paul; Vice President Yoakum, st. Louis &
San Francisco; Vice President Warner, Mis-
sour Pacific; President Washburn, Kansas
City, Fort Scott g. Memphis; President Rus
sell Hardin ST. Louis Southwestern; Vice
President Mccullough, Chicago & North
western President d. B. Robinson, ST.
Louis & San Francisco; General Manager
Mcknight, Wabash Vice President Harris,
Burlington; Receiver Whitcomb, Wisconsin
Central; Receiver Samuel Hunt, Toledo, ST.
Louis & Kansas City; President W. G.
Purdy, Rock Island; the traffic manager of
the Missouri, Kansas Texas; Receiver
George T Jarvis. Louisville, Evansville &
st. Louis; General w. B. Robinson, St. Jo
seph & Grand Island and Kansas City and
Omaha companies; President ingalls,, Cleve-
land Cincinnati, Chicago & st. Louis; Vice
President Chappell, Chicago & Alton: Traffic
Manager Campbell, Chicago & Eastern Illi-
nois.
At the conference every road was called
upon to report its freight traffic conditions
generally and whether its regulations were
being carefully observed.
All Honestly Maintain Rates.
Each reported absolute maintenance OF
published schedules and the reports sum-
married. indicated the most thorough CO.
operation in the western territory. No road
had any definite complaint of secret prac-
tices TO report and, on the contrary, it was
brought out that several reports of secret
practices were found to be groundless when
the suspected roads had been quietly in
vestigated. 1t recognized. however, IN
the discussion that mutual jealousy and dis
trust were somewhat prevalent and that 9
general confidence must be established
Fortunately in the instances cited 1t was re-
ported that none of the other roads had re-
taliated, as usually happens, and that every
case mentioned was unfounded.
In view Of the enormous traffic now tax.
ing the carrying capacity Of all the roads
the gentlemen present at the conference
were inclined to feel considerable appre
hension as to the future, when this volume
might diminish, or when the Formidable lakt
navigation competition would set in, oil
other conditions result, which might de-
moralize freight conditions.
One pc,nt of apprehension was the differ
ence between the rates grains and other
products for export and those for domestic
use, a material difference which was
acknowledged but to the necessity OF
which the railroad officials differed IL
their views No definite action on this line
was taken, however
The antitrust law, taking away the legal
sanction Of any concerted effort among the
roads to maintain rates and at the same
time requiring the observance OF published
rates was discussed and efforts to overcome
this obstacle were informally mentioned
The general sentiment to the result o'
the conference is TO the effect that each road
will make consistent effort to act fairly
with each other and with ship
pers The officers present pledged them
selves not to deviate from the published
tariffs and not to discriminate between the
large and small shippers.