The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-05
Transoont1nsn.al Lines Are Con-
idering a New Tariff.
A MEETING TO BE CALLED.
AZ That TiDe - Agreement. when
Already Has Practically neen
RsaaAsA, VIII likely BE Pot
TAsoagh - IL Affects East ana
w>se-ns,aA sAip.snts a.A VIII
Probably Extend to ths Orient

Tia srsas ,yansnonenAn,a Enss VIII
have q meeting OF traffic officials IN s.
Paul In thA near future when . ne"
sohedule O. rates from ST. Paul 20 SsaE =
TAocmA and Portland ard TO pcrts La tos
Orient viii be promulgated. As yet tie
date has nor been dsaaitely announced,
bat viii follow shortly after the return o.
Prsadsnt Hal from New York This IL ths
same mAst.ng thai was cA4lsc and postoon-
ID serns three weeks ago. and Is ne sesUls
Of Q pgotAst on The part OF ne oHe1iA
steamship Inca. both Canadian and AEnef-
lean. AxAinG the DrescE, psrcea'Ass OF
wsst-boand rates they ere allowed Tor TIE
ocean haul.
The meeting viii - An sil-.mportAat sns
TO the Coast. A. the traffic managers Vii
not Aions conaidsr an advance on west
hound rates. but on good authority It 10
learned that eas,-bouud rates VIII also De
sent up q notch. II 10 expected that All
lines Of ulerchs ndise ~il De raised. but
just how much no one Is aba TO prognos-
tlcats The present shortage Of cars. TIE
Increasing rather than diminishing trAfsc
and the prospect Of a large business for
roads As an excuse .or participating In tbs
general prosperity OF the country. All
iranscontinental lines have recently sad
representative over their various divsions.
and I. in sad an agreement TO a5yanoa has
practically been made &c that here Ia
very lit,ls likelihood OF TIA plan falling
through.
In Considering tho advance an effort. 1t
Ii said, will be made 10 Got back TO tho
rates formerly prevailing The movement
will be a gradual one because shippers
any radical increase Nevertheless IT IS
conceded that so far tho Coast points
are concerned shippers would be wiling
% stand a moderate advance owing to the
prevailing conditions regarding freight ship
fnents In tho grain and lumber districts
and particularly IL II meant a moro rapid
movement OF freight
The railroads say that Notwithstanding
the fact that al annual reports for the
pas, fiscal year show an Increased earn
ing In AL departments IL Ii dus solely to
the low rates that were nrst inaugirated
during the financial depression of issS and
1904 Theye times they maintain ars now
past and the general impression ~ that
many Of the commodities. suoh as grain,
grain products. iuc1bsr. canned goods and
other products Of tho soil the rates. Il IL
said will probably be advanced 10 a poin,
corresponding 10 that reached about isn
years ago. But not all VIII 90 thar high.
The basis on which the advance will be
made will. It IL stated. pc on ar average
increase OF 10 per cent all around.
Tho Eastern and Southern lines have al
ready taken the initial step on grain for
expor. from Atlantic points on a basis OF
= cents. which Is an advance from tha
quoted rates based on 20 cents which have
prevailed for the past six years. Prior 10
that time tho rates were based on y
cents
Tho Oriental lines hero and AZ other
Coast points are ut this time expect;ng
large shipments Of cotton TO Japan and
China ports. Their capacity for heavy
freight has been greatly reduced by tho
pressure OF vessels for transport service
and all agree that I'm order 10 make :hs
fines ray they must receive a greater Per
cant of tho rates from shipping points.
The Northern Pacific alone has heen able IN
keep up It's tonnage by The leasing OF other
vessels but now no more large ships. suita-
best must be made b@ all ocean lines OF
what tonnage they have VITA the present
tonnage tina Oriental lima say that they
n .he prevailing rates as their capacity ia
almost taken up With ar Increase In
rates however. smaller vessels could he put
on temporarily md the business kept up
with.