The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-13

panying tabulation of rates. This letter
charges that the Atlanta and West Point
and Western Railway of Alabama charge
relatively higher rates in Alabama than in
Georgia. and that the Southern charges
higher rates in Alabama than in Georgia
or Tennessee. There are different rates in
all the southern states, regulated by the
conditions existing in the states and the
earning capacities of the roads. The South
ern is so situated in Georgia that it ham
dies a much larger volume of through
traffic than 1t can possibly handle in Ala
bama. I have felt for long time that
rates in Georgia were too low. The gross
earnings of the Southerns lines in Georgia
are much greater than in Alabama. The
earnings in Georgia are $500 per mile,
while in Alabama they are only $3,2O0 per
mile. The Louisville and Nashville has the
highest earnings of any road in the state
81. 500 per mile. Roads farther north earn
$4,000, $4,000 $4,000 and 900 per mile.
The Louisville and Nashville has the same
rate in other states as in Alabama.
Want of Uniformity
.complaint is made of a want of Uniform
itv in rates Some roads in Alabama have
higher rates than other roads. There Is
not a single railroad commission In the
south, having full power to fix rates, that
does not allow different rates on different
roads in the same state. There are only
two roads in Georgia restricted to the COM
mission rates. The Mississippi commission
allows different roads to charge different
rates.
General Shelley-"Why is it the same
railroad charges different rates out OF BIZ
mingham on different lines?
Mr. Culp-"Conditions may control that.
w. H. Kettig-"Why is it the rates out of
Atlanta to points twenty miles or less dis
tant are lower than the rates out of Biz
mingham for twenty miles or less?'
Mr. Cup-"Because rates in Georgia are
lower than in Alabama, but the rates out
of Atlanta to points in Alabama, over loo
miles away, are not lower than are the
rates out of Birmingham to points in Ala
bama over 100 miles away. On shipments
out of Georgia to Alabama points the Ala
bama rates apply"
B. B. Comer-"You start train out or
Atlanta towards Birmingham at rates
cheaper than you start train out OF BIZ.
mingham towards Atlanta. Why is thisf'
Mr. Culp-'The rates in Georgia are too
low. and but for the through business the
roads could not live. l believe If the Geor-
gia rates were adopted in Alabama the
gross earnings of Alabama roads would De
reduced below the operating expenses.
Comparative Rates
.Comparatiye rates in Georgia and Ala
bama on the same class OF goods snow
higher rates in Alabama than IN Georgia
for the same distance. This Is one OF the
complaints. Hay in carloads and less tnan
carload lots is mentioned. Hay In carload
lots is in Glass B, and in less than carloads
it Is in the fifth class. l doubt II less than
carload lots pay more for the space occu-
pied than carload lots. The roads onarge
for 10000 pounds in carloads, and great
deal of the hay l am informed does not
weigh over 1900 pounds to the car. II
the difference has grown too great the
roads are willing to take the matter up.
1T is claimed that there is an over
charge from Sheffield and Decatur to Biz
mingham and on cotton With in the state
1t is claimed that Birmingham should be
given much lower rate from those points
because of the Tennessee river. l don't
think 1t good business to establish rates
that will give the railroads one hundred
miles and the river the balance. Birming-
ham has as low mates as Montgomery or
Selma, and both these places have the
benefit of river rates. The rate from Shelf
field to Birmingham is Is cents and from
st. Louis to Sheffield by river cents,
making q cents to Birmingham. The all
rail rate from St. Louis to Birmingham is
25 cents. 1t is claimed that the same rate
is charged from Sheffield and Decatur to
Birmingham as from Nashville to
Birmin CHAM. 1 am not advised that there
is any corn to be shipped from Sheffield
to Birmingham If there were any native
grown corn at Sheffield to be shipped away
the Southern Railway would give lower
rates II necessary. When the rate from
Sheffield to Birmingham is reduced We
must in turn reduce the rate from Nash
vile and st. Louis, and corresponding re-
auctions would have to be made to all other
points. The railroads within the last year
have reduced the rate on cloth from SOUTH
ern mills to New York Z cents, and the
rate cloth is less than on raw cotton
''As to the charge that the rate on fer
tilizer materials and fertilizers is greater
from Birmingham to Atlanta than from
Atlanta to Birmin CHAM, | have taken that
matter up and will see what L can do to
correct or adjust it."
Mr.. Hinton's Talk
E. H. Hinton, traffic manager of the Gen.