The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-10
EARLY TRAIN On
SOUTHERN ROAD
Chamber of Commerce to
Keep Up Fight for 1t.
FINE MEETING HELD.
Many important Questions Discussed
Yesterday Afternoon.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF RATES.
Richmond Merchants Determined to
Use Their Best Efforts TO Have the
Present System Chansed-Iul-
Dovtance OF Extending the
Corporate Limits-aiauy
New Members Elected.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF RATES.

The third quarterly meeting of the Rich-
nond Chamber OF Commerce was held
yesterday evening at o'clock. Presloehe
L. z. Morris occupying the chair
Notwithstanding the warm weather there
was a fair attendance of members, inctud-
ing some who rarely come to meedhss'
which may be taken as an index OF III
creased interest in the work OF the Cham
Der and the important objects to which 1t
| is sedulously addressing its attention.
Under the head of reports OF Staholhs
Committees AIr. H. s. Binswanser. acting
chairman OF the Committee on Commerce
and Commercial Usages, submitted YER
bal report OF the proceedings OF that com
mittee in it's efforts to secure an early
morning train out of Richmond over the
| Southern Railway and read for the intor-
| nation of the meeting the correspondence
| which had taken place between the Secfe-
| tary of tho Chamber, under the direction
| of the committee, and Mr. Frank ;. Gan
I non, the General Manager of the southern
Railway Company While this corFeSpo'l-
| dence. SO far as she railway company was
! concerned, gave no encouragement thal
| such a train would be secured. the letters
| of the committee indicated no relaxation
| Of efforts on their part. and contained sug-
| gestious which it IS hoped may meet Ia
Vorabla consideration, and the matter was
| continued in the hands of the committee
| with instructions to persist vigorously IN
| their labors to have this early train put
on as it was believed that it would u!t!-
| matelv prove profitable to the railroad.
| and was deemed essential TO tho interest OF
! Richmond, not only for the accomInoda-
! ton of commercial travellers and the
| travelling public generally, but also for the
| distribution OF the Richmond morning pa
| pers, which are recognized as Important
| factors in directing and controlling the
| trade OF tho South in favor OF Richmond
| merchants and manufacturers.
THE CORPORATE LIMITS.
In the absence OF the chalrmen OF the
| Committees on Information and Statistics
and Manufactures, Mr.. W a. CrenshaW,
| of the former committee, submitted re-
/ port from those two committees Whlcn
| contained a suggestion in reference TO the
! extension of the corporate limits of Rich
| mond and a recommendation that me
| Chamber refer this question to an appro-
| pirate committee for the purpose of having
it report some line of policy On the part of
the city which can be advocated by the
Chamber, and which Will induce residents
| and business establishments outside of the
present corporate limits of the city to be
more willing to have those limits SO eX-
tended as to include them. The report of
these committees was adopted, and this
important question will be referred to these
two standing committees or to a special
committee.
FREIGHT CLASSIFICATION.
Mr. NJ \. Chambers. chairman of the
Committee on Inland Trade, then sub
mitted the following report relating to the
new Southern Classification, which has
| NcJ he
turers of Richmond in their business with
the South:
The advances in the Southern classical
ton which affects the rates into the
Southeast and which took effect on June
1st have been having. and are continuing
to have q very injurious effect upon busi-
| ness into all of the Southeastern States
| This classification contains about 2,6G0 ar
ticles out OF which about 1877 have been
advanced, affecting nearly every line OF
business. OF these, there have been ad-
vanced:
Thirty-two articles from second to first
class
Thirtv-eighth articles from third to Sec
ond class.
Sixty-nnth articles from fourth to third
class.
Thirty-sxth articles from fifth to sixth
class.
Ten articles from sixth to fourth class.
class etc.
The above is not complete analysis.
but is a specimen Of the large number OF
changes that have been arbitrarily made.
The difference between carloads and less
than carloads has, In number Of in
stances been violently widened and the
area within which jobbers and manufac>
turers can sel1 is materially reduced.
VIGOROUS PROTESTS
Of toa ierS
has raised up violent opposition on the
part of shippers everywhere, and not only
Richmond but also such large points as
New Orleans, Chicago, st. Louis, Phiia-
dephia, New York, etc, have protested
strongly against the enforcement OF this
classification, and with unanimity IN
which the rivalry of trade centers is for
gotten. asked the carriers to restore the
! old classification. known as No. p, as the
ONLY practicable remedy to the upset con-
dtions daily manIfesting themselves as
the result of this almost horizontal adj
vance.
Committee was held at the Oriental Hotel,
Manhattan Beach, n. Y, on the 1th, TO
consider the situation, but it is not yet
known whether tie protests OF the cities
| named above have been finally given con-
sderation, as the Classification Committee
has attempted to dismiss them on the
! plea that they were not specific, but gem
eraI in their character. though each one
specified its desire for the restoration OF
| classification No. %.
It is the sense of the commercial bodies
nrotesting that the carriers should not
/ Violently advan nee classification, as IN
This case, but that having done so, the only
nractica BILE remedy is to restore the old
4 ola assIfication and then. in conjunction with
the commercial bodies. consider advances
/ IN such articles as are unjustly low. act
ing on grounds proved to be reasonable.
TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT.
4 The inland Trade Committee of the
i Cham ber=will. in conjunction with other
4 commercial centers. continue to prote 4
j against this injustice and endeavor TO
s bring about its correction, which IS all the
her re-