The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-20
Oriental Steamship Lines Forcing
a Higher Tariff.
IT AFFECTS LOCAL BUSINESS.
All Northwestern Lines. Backed ~
the Oriental FretGhters. Have
Agreed 10 Meet In 81. Paul and
Consider the Matter-It VIII be
Felt by Every Road In the United
states Doing Business to seattle.

There ts 20 be a conference O: North
western :ranscantinentas line freight man
ayers within few aays al 8 Paul Haicn,
IL Is given out. wi. be for the purpose 81
making an effort to come 10 some kind Of
an agreement for the restoration and In
crease 81 freight rates from s.. Paul to
tne Pacific coast and the orient. Notices
OF the meeting have beer sent TO Canadian
Pacific. Northern Pacific and Great North
en- freight agents. and at prssen, much
speculation il rife as 10 what vii! be the
outcome OF what In considered one OF the
most important meetings In freight cir-
c.es for many months. II Ia stated by
those in position 70 know some Of the
facts that behind the meeting are the three
transpaciho ocean freigh, iines. and that
ar agreement has been talked over which.
IL contaminated. viii result In not only an
increase la the local and through rates
from ST Paul TO Seattle on many OF the
articles now being carried IN great tor
mage, bat also in the rates on food stun.
building material and raw products TO the
Orient.
From an Official source Il Is learned that
for some months past the steamship lines
of both the Great Northern and Northern
Pacific have beer urging the putting into
effect OF higher common-p point rate TO
Japan and China. Under the present ar
rangement the boats receive but a per-
centage OF the rate made In ST. Paul or
further West. TO the Orient. This per-
centage. owing 10 the limited tonnage OF
the boats. has not been sufficient to pay.
One OF the great causes for this lies In the
fact that the United States 10 importing
but very small amount frcr. Japan and
China, and consequently the freight boats
are compelled 10 return here light loaded
and offt!faes carrying water ba last On
this account II Ia claimed that the through
rate must he Increased Ia order that they
may continue In business The great
trouble heretofore. and In fact ever since
the advance in Oriental freight rates was
made six months ago. has been that the
Canadian Pacific refused to enter into
any such an arrangement.
Within the past thirty days the British
government has impressed several OF the
Canadian Pacific boats, both on the Or,en-
tai and Australian runs. which has SO re-
dnced the company's tonnage that q higher
rate must be sought For this reason,
when the matter was again preached the
road was perfectly willing to put the rates
as high as any OF the Americans lines
wanted then.
The new arrangement. IL successfully
carried through. with affect freight rates
on every road In the United States carry
Ing goeds 10 the Pacific coas, for export
inasmuch as through rate II made by the
original shipping line.
There Is only one Oriental line that has
not yet signsfiei Its intention 10 attend the
meeting The San Francisco line is said TO
De yet holding out, bat In ali probability
VIII come In. ~ the small business done by
II comes 10 large extent from Southern
California
IL the meeting Is a success. and there is
no one In railroad circles who does not
think IT win be. local rates viii also 60 up.
owing to the great dearth Of cars for
Coast commodities and shipments to this
point the various lines have long been
looking for an excuse to increase the
rates Under the steamship deal this will
ne FURNISHED and general increase Is
locked for In the new tariffs To be- issued
after the meeting In 81, Paul