The times., 1899-03-24
Seeking TO ADJUST
RAILWAY Rates
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission Hearing.
Twenty Western Trunk Lines
Represented.
Matter of Freight Thrills io the Sea-
board Considered aud 81 COM
mittee Appointed.


railroad officers in the country, represent
| ing every road of the Middle West and the
| Southwest, met the Interstate Commerce
| Commission yesterday by special invita-
| ton from the Commission and had long
but informal discussion over the rate sit
uation. The meeting lasted from 10 o'clock
| in the morning until o'clock last night,
! with q short intermission for luncheon,
| which was served in the rooms of the Com
| mission. No formal action of any kind
| was taken except the appointment Of
committee to go into the rate question
| further, but the meeting was a most
| satisfactory one nevertheless in the pro-
motion Of friendly feeling among the rail-
way men and in laying the foundation for
| what it is believed will be a successful
adherence to rates by all the roads in the
| future.
Among the roads represented by presi-
| dents or other high officers at the meeting
| were Chicago, Burlington and Quincy;
Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe; Chicago
and Alton; Chicago, Milwaukee,. and st.
Paul; Union Pacific. Kansas City. Fort
Scott and Memphis; Missouri Pacific; Iowa
Central; Wabash; Big Four; Illinois Cen
tral; Chesapeake and Ohio; Kansas City.
Pittsburg and Gulf, and the st. Louis and
San Franciso.
The committee appointed by these gen.
tlemen to represent them in further dis
cussion with the Commission, was as fol-
lows: President Burt. of the Union Tn-
cifc: Second Vice President Paul Morton.
OF the Atchison; President Washburn, of
the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis
Traffic Manager Bird, of the ST. Paul. Vice
President Yoakum, of the st. Louis AID
San Francisco. and Vice President Warner.
of the Missouri Pacific. Among the other
officers present were Vice President Harris.
of the Burlington; General Manager Chap
peil. of the Alton; General Manager Mar
tin. of the Iowa Central; President Stick
ney. of the Chicago Great Western: Presi-
dent Lowry. of the st. Paul Minneapolis
and Saulte Ste. Marie, and General Manger
Day. of the Minneapolis and st. Louis.
1t was developed by the meeting that the
rate situation in the entire section covered
| by these lines Is at present excellent in
many ways. II was said by all the officers
that they did not believe there was any
breaking of the interstate commerce laws
by any of the roads, that there has been
any since the beginning of the present
year. In several cases officers stated that
they had suspected rate cutting and that
instead of following it up with cutting in
retaliation, they had made Investigations,
which had convinced them that no par
way all of the officers present pledged their
roads to continued adherence to the
scheduled rates in the future.
One OF the subjects chiefly discussed was
the difficulties in adjusting rates equitably
between the roads to the Atlantic on the
one hand and those to the Gulf on the
other. One of the facts conceded was that
several of the Southwestern roads. which
have recently undergone renovation in the
m of nd
agement now have a great advantage in
hauling grain and other freight over the
roads which reach the seaboard on the
south Atlantic. Their haul is sometimes not
quarter the length Of that of their rivals.
In addition to this the recent improvements
of the harbors at Galveston. New Orleans.
and other Gulf points has been a great ad-
vantage to them.
Among the lines to athe Atlantic also
there are many difficulties, which were all
frankly discussed.l The difference in the
schedule rates from the Mississippi River
to New York and from Chicago to News
York is now in favor OF the former route
by 1-2 cents on. the. hundred pounds. In
hauling grain from THE Central West to
New York by way of st. Louis large saw
ing is thus made. and the roads through
Chicago claim they are at great disadvan-
tage.
Another question taken up was that of
lower rates to New York from the West
on grain for export. It was contended by
some that in competition with the routes
to the Gulf it would be impossible for the
lines to the Atlantic to charge a full rate
for grain for export. These officers, who
were apparently in the majority, were in
favor of allowing two rates, one for grain
for domestic consumption and one for ex-
port.
The northern water route, by way of the
lakes, was also the subject OF some discus
sion. The lakes are open for navigation
very early in the season this year, and
Immediately there will now come the old
problem of carrying grain by rail at a
profit and still compete with the water
route. This the railway men seemed to
consider one of the most difficult prob
lens to be met. The temptation to cut
rates in this competition has been too hard
to overcome at various times in the past
No decisions were reached on any OF
these questions. The Commission heard
all the officers on the various matters and
stated that they would endeavor with the
help of the committee appointed to make
the best adjustments possible. The com
mittee will meet the Commission today.
This meeting was the third that has
been held since the decision of the Supreme
Court against the validity OF traffic asso-
Citations. Another meeting viii be held
some time in May for further discussion
of the same questions. 1t is hoped that by
of adjustments will have been agreed
upon.
Nearly all the officers who attended the
meeting left the city last night
FUNDS FOR THE DISTRICT.