Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-13
FREIGHT RATE CASES
NrrRsTATE COMMERCE. CoMNIs-
SION LOOKS INTO THEM.
CHARLESTON MAKES COMPLAINTS.
Her Merchants Think Norfolk Has
the Best of II I'm the Matter OF
uates-Representat of ola Do
minion steamship CO. Questioned.

WASHINGTON. July 12-G T. New
i.r~. general freight agent Of the Old
IL m.rion Steamship Company, was the
FIST witness before the Interstate Com
,-. Commission to-day I'm the nearing
a. PHI, Charleston freight-rate case. lie
,s questioned 40 length as 10 the rates
ea.--.d by his line on freight business
,s-.rb Norfolk where the steamship line
,s-..-t.d with the railroads. 1t devel-
,..t that the steamship line had two
,... t- various classes Of freight, in
...f ., uninsured. to cover the marine
r.s af..r
,.. H-u tried TO find out what the
t-... v minus the insurance, and
,fr .. ras u.t some interior points in
+.. south vr subject 10 the insured
l.t r While others were known as
uninsured points. Air. Newbury was very
undetermined on this point, and Com
prouty finally broke i'm with
DR. u.siry. els u not "a TACT, sir, That
you have insured rates to non-compeu-
Oh. points in order TO add the insurance
,..Is.s 10 the shipper and make the rate
Ilrer than 90 competitive points with
lt its appearing sop
THE WITNESS DENIED 1T.
Witness protested that this was not
the case. and 10 was finally agreed TO
have either the steamship company or
rs rau connections furnish the commits
SION copies of their freight schedules
from which the real freieht rates to com
r.utive and non-compouuYe points could
l figured out
Alr Newbury said I'm conclusion that
ls line carried freight not only from the
nth TO North Atlantic points, but had
considerable amount of business. prin-
.nally pachng-house products. from west
o the Mississippi. through Norfolk 10
-.s Maine coast. This was 500 miles long
.- than the direct rail routes, but the
n and water route was able TO compete
lor the business at profit
JOHN 4. SMITHS TESTIMONY.
The last witness i'm the case was John
A. smith. president of the Bureau of.
Freight and Transportation, Of Charles
ION. Nr. Smith explained that from 1917
Pro- 1895. prior 10 taking his present office.
b. had been connected with railroad ana
Steal -hiD traffic iu various capacities.
I.. Charleston bureau. he said, was a
r.Diciual creation OF Charleston, brought
lt by The inability of the merchants
..u shippers of the community TO get
What they considered fair treatment from
f. railroads. especially in connection
n.l freight rates to and from the West.
Witness filed with tine commission a copy
q. memorandum from his bureau 10 the
thorn Freight Association, in which
t. discrimination against Charleston
Smith said the railroads had never taken
u. trouble even % deny the truth OF
ri,-tou's allegations.
u gave number of instances I'm which
t through rates on freight from Chicago
@. CHARLESTON were from 10 cents
tc..r than The rates from Chicago 10
k with the local rate from Nor
i.k lD Charleston added.
NORFOLK MERCHANTS ABSORBED
IT.
l witness further said that the
Ctro Ton merchants were not even al
lowed t0 take advantage OF this combine
t.u t.i.. the railroads either toroidding
i,Hlsl shipments 20 Charleston al lhe
combination rate or eating up all the
Ir..t bv yexatious delays and rebilling
Charges 10 Norfolk and the Virginia cues.
result was. he said, that lhe
Norfolk merchants had not only absorbed
al tIe distrbutive trade I'm certain
Western commodities around Charleston
l.f could undersen the local merchants
m Charleston itself. As TO the compild-
NNn of rates Mr.. Smith said there was
i' lstom or method in determining them
aH iaI .s he could discover Rates ON
some articles to Wilmington were higher
IMAM f0 Charleston. in other caseS
'lar.ls f0n had the advantage. In nileeh
important commodities rates 10 'hafles-
i'a Wero higher than 70 Wilmington or
Jess Than carload rates TO Charleston
were lower than 90 Wilmington.
When SIR. Smith urged the injustice
th., flc rates for towns in the immediate
Vicinity Of Charleston should be based
or tlo rates 90 the Virginia cities, Com
H oucr Prouty asked IL the interior
towns boo question would not feel II an
equal injustice 10 have the western corn
h.y We're TO consume hauled az a low
through rate 10 Charleston and then back
'9 he ied 10 the people az the interior
town
3ir Smith replied that he did not wish
'o place the commission In an oquivocal
position in the eyes Of the ntcrio; Caro-
hna towns He did hold however. that
lhe water competition an Norfolk which
bad annullod the long and short-haul sec
unn there could apply equally well 10
Charleston. which had the same natural
advantages.
ENCOURAGE THE WATER LINES.
Air Prouty suggested that a good
scheme for Charleston would be 10 en-
courage water lines that would force the