The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-21
WAS AFTER A LONG FIGHT
THAT THE COMMISSION HANDED
DOWN ITS DECISION.

Freight bureau Took Tp the Case
Against the Louisville and Nash
VILE and Others Five Years Ago.
Evidence Was Sought and Added
to From Time TO Time and the
Hearing Before the Commission
Was Had in IS9T-Decision Regard
ed IA victory for the Freight Bu-
reau-If 1t Can BE Enforced 1t VIII
Help savannah and Remove Dis
eliminating Rates.
The decision of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, announced in Washington
day before yesterday in an opinion by
Commissioner Clements, relative to dis
elimination in railroad rates in favor or
Pensacola and other points against Sa-
vannah, was read with no little interest,
the Mornin. News dispatches giving full
account of the rulings and findings of the
commission. The case is an Old one that
of the Savannah Bureau of Freight and
Transportation and others against the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad and
others.
Sept %, 1886 the first complaint against
the rates on cotton from Chipley, Fla
to Savannah was made M Y. Mcln-
tyre & co. insisted that planter at Chip
ley. r. c. Horne, found it impossible TO
ship to Savannah on account of the dif-
ference in rates. both Mobile and New Or
leans affording better markets on ae-
count of lower freight charges. The rate
then 10 Savannah was $2.75 per bale while
to Mobile it was 50 and to New orleans
$3.50
The commission decided that the rates
were not excessive to Savannah, but That
the proportions were. The Louisville ana
Nashville virtually insists upon an arbl-
trary rate that is equivalent TO It's local.
and the connecting lines have to allow H.
entering with the Louisville and Nash
vile into the agreement, as they nave no
recourse.
In Nav. 1897. the Interstate Commerce
Commission sat in Savannah to hear the
case Both the railroads and the Freight
Bureau were represented by counsel, the
Louisville and Nashville being represent
ed by the celebrated railroad attorney Coz.
Ed Baxter. and the Freight Bureau by
Mr.. w. w. Gordon, Jr Several days were
taken up in Sitting the voluminous evil
dence that was offered, Capt. d. G. Purse,
commissioner of the bureau, having gone
to great trouble and labor in getting ev-
erything bearing upon the case to present
in opposition TO the rates that were charg-
ed.
In the meantime there had been COM
plant made by naval stores concerns, the
Factors finding that their producers at
Chipley and other points along the line of
the Pensacola and Atlantic, belonging TO
the Louisville and Nashville, We're unable
to ship to Savannah because of the OPP
posing rates Pensacola being the port
q In lnb11il1 a thp
pense OF Savannah, The producers in
sisted that they had far greater advant-
age in shipping to Savannah outside of
this matter of rates. and prayed their
factors to bring about some change
whereby they might get their naval stores
to Savannah and profit by the quicker re-
turns as this city admits of much more
RAPID and effective handling of turpentine
and rosin.
Messrs. Peacock, Hunt & Co, were the
first to make complaint in behalf of
CareyVille producer Other factors follow
ed, and socn there was quite a collection
OF complaints The Louisville and Nash
vile had blanket rate covering every
point along the Pensacola and Atlantic,
and producers 100 miles from Pensacola
had to pay as much to get their naval
stores to Savannah as those who operate
only four miles from that place.
The decision Of the commission is that
thS ram Oau mas hNci hHJu9t4S h4SCt lulHdl-
ing against Savannah. An order is asked
for to restrain the company from cOntinu-
ing to charge such rates. II ii can doe Sc
cured and enforced The citys naval stores
business would be helped
Capt. Purse regards the decision
victory for the freight bureau and those
interested with it in the fight for lower
rates to Savannah. He says he thinks it
will prove beneficial to Savannah if it can
only be enforced The commission has
not the power 10 compel The railroads 10
abide by its decisions Had the rates been
decreased three years ago to Savannah,
Capt. Purse says, the city would have been
vastly benefited.