The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-06
ORDERS OF COMMISSION.
All Propositions Under Consideration Have
Been Passed Upon.
A PLAN TO PREVENT UNDERLYING
IL to BE Formula Rates
to he Maintained - Fort Arthur
Diaerential to Be Abolished.

Austin. Texas. January 5.--The railroad
commission this afternoon announced with
regard to the different matters which have
been considered for the past three days
that cowpeas will be given the same rate
as millet seed in less than carload ship
ments and that the authority granted the
Texas and Pacific to make special rate
on returned shipments of agricultural inn
plements will be revoked.
As to lumber rates. the existing blanket
tariff will be maintained. but several re-
auctions will be made In short distance
rates.
The mileage system will not be adopted
in the matter OF salt rates, but some
changes will be made to meet the Fort
Worth and few other situations.
The proposition to place the Weighing
of cotton for shipment under the super
vision OF the Texas Car Service associa-
ton will not be adopted. but some other
! plan for preventing the underblling Of
cotton will be formulated.
| The Port Arthur differential will be
| abolished. but the order abolishing it will
and probably not before March /.
| ~
Austin. Texas. January 5.-The railroad
commission this morning tackled the sub
ject OF rates to and from Sabine Pass
and Port Arthur with a view to hearing
| argument on a proposition to abolish the
dinerentisls enjoyed by those ports as
against Galveston. said differentials being
based on physical disabilities.
Mr.. Becker. chairman Of the Galveston
freight bureau. favored the abolition OF
these differentials and expressed opposi-
ton to the offsettins of physical disabili-
ties by the differentisl route, His iutor-
nation was that Port Arthur now has
eighteen feet of water In the canal con
Meeting ii with Sabine Pass which, in his
opinion, was sufficient TO accommodate
the vessels making that port
Messrs. Goodwin of the Santa Fe and
!. West of the Katy wanted Port Arthur
! and Sabine Pass placed on the same basis
as Galveston in the matter OF rates. Mr..
West alleged that he had been informed
by certain Houston cotton shippers that
they could save monev by shipping
through Port Arthur instead Of through
Galveston. From what he could under
fUhn i,xc,,
rate and the cost of lighterage at Port
! Arthur were more than offset by the diff
ferental in effect there.
In answer to a question by Judge Free
man. Mr. West said he thought the dis
abilities of Galveston as compared with
New Orleans We're about the same as
those of Port Arthur as compared with
Galveston. He thought ports should take
care OF their own disabilities: but in
answer to further question by Judge
freeman did not think the Galveston
differential against New Orleans should
be abolished.
Mr. Martin of the Arkansas Pass said he
had always protested AGAINST the existing
Port Arthur adjustment and was still pro-
testing against il. Thought the common
point rate to Port Arthur should be higher
than the Common point rate TO Calves
ton.
Jens Moller. the Galveston ship broker,
tered under the auspices of the Peeeee
: railroad at Port Arthur and that cargoes
g are being taken there for less freight
L than at Galveston. although the cost OF
: tonnage is greater than at Galveston. The
= deficiency. to his notion. must come out
OF the Peegee's earnings and he did no,
consider II fair that Galveston should be
, required 10 contribute to the extent OF
Scent differental to making up that
y deficiency. Did not deny that it was nee
: essary to lighter at Port Arthur, but as
. serted that the cost of lighterage came out
OF the charterer and that the existing
differental was kind OF an official bonus
established to enable the charterer to
make himself even. Velasco had as man,
l. disabilities as Port Arthur. yet II costs
% Is cents more to do business there than
y at Galveston. and IL a 15-cent dlfferen.
tia was established in favor OF that por
: IL would flourish like a green bay tree
Loaded cars Of cotton, Mr.. Moller assert.
ed. pass through Galveston when ship:
; lie by the score and are transferred IL
Port Bolivar and taken up the Gulf anG
: Interstate 10 Port Arthur TO be unloadec
i and their loads transferred to ships. Die
J. not believe that the physical disabilities
OF ports should be equslized Galveston
! was taking care of its disabilities, be said
= and asked only that other ports do th
: same.
!. General Freight Agent Seovel OF tn
: Peegee said that up to January Por
: Arthur had received II, 900 bales OF cotto
j; as against Galyeston's 1951 900 bales an,
that was what Mr. Moller was making al
the fuss bout, although but small per
centage of the Port Arthur cotton cam
from Texas, But he was not surprised
II He had expected that Galveston woul
roar as soon as he began moving cottol
v through Port Arthur. Galveston had
!. way OF objecting to any one doing bust
z ness but itself. However. Port Arthu
4 had not been established for the benefit o
2 Galveston 1t was a permanency and II
y promoters proposed 10 keep It open with
r out Galveston's consent. Denied that tn
r Peegee railroad had ever chartered a shiI
ii The Port Arthur Channel and Dock com
pany is doing 1t, however. and there is n
n secret about IT, removal of the POI
Q Arthur dfferential would shut Port Ar
. thur out OF Texas business. Did not un
n derstand that the commission was here {
e legislate in favor Of few South Texa
lines or Of an aggregation OF Galvesto
ship brokers. As to the depth of waite
in the Port Arthur channel, Mr. scov,
said that 1t was twenty-five feet up {
e within half mile of the slip. Though
n that a twenty Ave foot depth would b
n obtained the whole distance in about six