The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-08
TILE TIMES: RICHMOND. VA WEDNESDAY AOGO2I g. 1.
THE RICHMOND
CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE:

This meeting viii afford an opportunity fof
the consideration Of several very important
questions which have recently engaged
the attention of some of its committees
a very vigorous movement was inaugu-
rated on Tuesday last to increase the MEM
bership OF the Chamber. The president of
the Chamber and the following gentlemen
were present:
Henry l.. Cabeli, first vice-pres:dent: j.
L. Hill, chairman of the Membership Com
mittee; Captain T. W. Cunningham, Reu-
ben Burton, w. W. Hardwicke, Joseph w.
Bdley, S. n. Bowman, o. II. Funston, w.
A, Crenshaw, B. a. Jacob, Morgan r.
Mills, John a. Curtis, j. O. Miller, John
C. Hagan, Luther r. jenkins and Deane
Maury.
A list of about four hundred names OF
parties in the city of Richmond, not mem
bers of the Chamber, but eligible as such,
was submitted from the Membership Com
mittee, and one hundred and fifty names
selected from this were assigned TO those
present at the meeting. and will be invited
in the immediate future TO join the Cham-
Der. This work will be Systematically fol-
lowed up. the object being to enroll every
business man and public spirited citizen.
which would bring the membership OF the
Chamber UP to about one thousand.
CENSUS REPORTS.
The Committee on Information and Sta
tisticS and the Committee on Manufac-
lures held joint meeting, at which they
considered the Very serious fact that
number of the largest industrial establish
ments, to all intents and purposes Rich
mond enterprises. WILL under the present
ruling Of the Census Bureau, not be IN
Guided in the report of Richmond's manu-
featuring establishments. because they are
located just outside of the corporate INES.
Tho effort to have them treated as Rich-
mond enterprises viii be continued. and If
taos
ask that supplementary report, TO FOL
low the Richmond report proper. be made
of all industries embraced within circle
OF one mile beyond the corporate limits.
On the occasion Of this meeting the fact
was deprecated tina. the corporate limits
had not been extended prior 10 the census
yea. and the committees determined TO
request the Chamber to address It's most
active attention and influence TO the re-
nova! Of the causes of opposition on the
part Of residents and the prOprletorS OF
manufacturing establishments TO be taken
into the city limits. he belief being that
some equitable arrangement could De oe-
vised which would make this 10 the inter-
est of all concerned. Something should
certainly be done in this direction AS lar
back as the last census year QSSD, Col.
John 3. Purcell, then president OF the
Chamber in his annual report 1oresnau-
owed the present situation by saying:
1.-The municipal must keep in advance OF
private enterprises, or we snail ma that u
Is hindrance to our growth II mas
proved a h:ndrance to polh our sio" !"
and reputation.
EaT2JY MORNING TRAIN SOUTH.
The Committee on Commerce and Com
mercial Usages, to which this question had
been referred, has been IN correspondence
with the Southern Railway Company and
will submit report a; the quarterly meet
ing.
The Inland Trade Committee will hardly
he able TO report next Thursday and de-
finite change in the grave rate situation
now confronting all shippers in the South,
but the subject Will be discussed on that
occasion and should be as thoroughly un-
derstooi as possible in advance OF that
| meeting.
No one who has ever had dealings with
railroads will undertake to say that rail-
road business is simple. Embracing vast
| and varied details, its comprehensive man
agement Is accomplished only by the
operation of the many inter-depenaent
branches of Its service. But just as
practical knowledge Of the rud!ments OF
law have been considered a part OF the
proper equipment of men engaging in
commercial pursuits, so also does 1t ap-
pear, in our modern life. necessary that
this same class should possess familiarity
with the practices of the railroads, parti-
cularly in the traffic department, on ac-
count Of the extent and degree to which
their business is affected by the prices
which they pay for the transportation OF
property.
In proportion to the increase in railroad
mileage. II may be asserted without arSu-
ment, that where this mileage is thickest.
education In and knowledge o! railroad
methods are most advanced; but even SO.
there have been few able to understand
nd r1latal to
their business, but on the other hand, many
have discovered too late that a decrease
in their business has been due largely, If
not wholly, to unequal traffic conditions.
DUE TO MANY CAUSES.
These unequal traffic conditions have
been due to many causes. There have
been rate wars between rival roads where
shippers have suffered from violent fluct-
atoms in rates: there have been manipu-
latons OF rates favoring one city or local
ity as against another. and there have
been rebates paid to large ami influential
shippers and denied to their smaller COM
petitors. All OF these evils are now more
or less generally understood and con-
denned by the shipping public; but the
latest and one of the most insi1ious OF
these evils and one which has affected the
greatest number in the widest manner. is
what Is known as the manipulation of the
freight classification.
With the exception Of such articles as
grain, lumber, coal. live stock, dressed
beef. fertilizers. etc, which. for obvious
reasons. are usually covered by separate
tariffs, most of the articles of commerce
and manufacture are transported under
what are known as calss rate tariffs. sub
ject to a classification in which such ar
tcles are shown taking a certain class
AMI. as one classification covers many
thousands Of tariffs, whenever the class
ification OF any articles is changed. it
affects these articles in those tariffs. Here
tofore the margin OF profit on articles COW
cred by class rate tariffs appears to have
been considered by the carriers large
enough to permit such changes in classif-
cation ratings as would favorably affect
their revenue without being felt by those
who paid the freight, and the majority
OF articles covered by class rate tariffs
do not generally move in carloads, but
are widely distributed in small quantities,
the carriers have reckoned upon the gain
resulting from such manipulation. although
large. being felt lightly or not at all, but
even If felt. safe from effective resistance:
hence. manipulation of classifcations has
been considered a tolerably safe operation.
THE FREIGHT RATES
This iS tba