Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1900-08-29
TRANSPORTATION RATES.

VIC piCoiuoAiVo VI tiic diiSlCut IibEo-
continental railways traversing the
Northwest with the hope OF accom-.
plishing something beneficial to the
farmers and business men through
out the Inland Empire:
WALLA WALIA, WASH, AUG, %, 1900
The Walla Walla Commercial Club
respectfully represents ~ that Walla
Walla is the trade center OF the Walla
Walla valley, a district producing
many millions OF bushels OF wheat; (2)
that in common with all the citizens
of Oregon, Washington and Idaho,
its inhabitants are vitality interested
in the price Of grain; (3) that the
price of grain depends upon ade-
quate shipping facilities; (4) that the
grain fleet seeking cargoes on Puget
Sound and in the Columbia river for
the past two years has been notorious
ly inadequate, and that the fleet EN-.
route for the year 1900 and 1901 is
apparently smaller than for the pre-
ceeding year-while the grain crop is
larger, and if present conditions con-
tinue as now seems certain, (unless
relief is afforded by the trans con-
tinental railway lines) not less than
100000 bushels Of this years crop
must remain unsold in the farmers
hands.
In view of the above facts, and the
absolute inadequacy of the grain feet,
an outlet must be found in some
other direction. Increased demand
for ships required for transporting
troops and army supplies to Asia
emphasizes this need. The trans
continental railways alone can pro-
vide relief by moving portion of the
grain crop east at reasonable rate.
1t is urged in support of this petition
for relief, that railways holding chart
ers from state and federal govern
ments owe something to the districts
traversed by their lines, and that the
prosperity of the railway is linked
with the prosperity OF its patrons;
that the one cannot suffer less with
out the loss being reflected in the
other.
A table is appended showing the
crop production, wheat and flour, ship
ments from Columbia river and
Puget Sound for the year 1899-19OO,
to which we ask you to give your
careful considerations
Crop 1S99-l9O0 ..................S3 80, 900 900 bu.
Carry-over July !, '99............. Gsi7,OOo "
Total ............. 39,847 900
Exports from the Columbia ..... IA 537, 7l8 bu.
Exports from Puget Sound. ........ 7955,6l5 "
Exports by the Canadian Pacific
Steamers, Hour reduced TO wheat. 452,250 "
shipments by rail east...........,. 215,000 "
Totel shipments ........ .23 l6O,6l3 "
This leaves balance of 15,686,387.
Deduct from the above for seed and
home consumption 9,315,000 bushels,
together with wheat for seed, estimat-
ed 3l7,3S7 bushels, Or a total OF 1885,
837 bushels, and there still remains
carried over 100000 bushels.
The Commercial review of Portland
estimates the stock on hand in the
interior to be $4,000 bushels July
L, 1900, exclusive of the stock at the
seaboard and at the Touring mills.
1t may safely be estimated that the
stock carried over will exceed 7,000,-
900 bushels. According to the same
authority charter rates fuctuated
from 81 Sd to 42s Cd, the difference
being equal to about 7 cents per
bushel in the price of wheat. In 1896
ships were chartered for the very low
rate of IFS I'd. 1t will thus be seen
that there is no stability in charter
rates; that they vary with the vary
ing crops; that in seasons of abund-
ant crops they always advance rates
and absorb the profits.
An outlet eastward ut stable rates
would add materially to the country's
prosperity and eliminate one OF the
uncertain factors with which the
farmer under existing circumstances
has to deal.
Mr.. j.. J. Hill, president of the
Great Northern railway. is quoted as
saying that when the large steamers
he is now constructing for the trans
Pacific trade are completed he will
carry freight from Buffalo to the
China coast for So per ton. This in
volved land haul Of over two thous.
and miles and water TRANSFORMATION of
over 5000 miles. 1t now costs over
$l4.0O per ton to ship grain from
Walla Walla to Liverpool. The dist
ance to Liverpool via Buffalo is ap.
proximately 5000 miles, two thous-
and OF which is rail transportation.
1t would therefore appear if Mr.. Hill
can carry freight from Buffalo to