The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-05
FREIGHT RATES
ARE ADVANCED
New railing Fixed on Cotton
Fabrics.
EFFECTIVE ON JULY ONE
Cotton Goods Changed From Fourth
to Fifth Class.
APPLIES ON TO SHIPMENTS IRON NORTH
The Local Rates in North Carolioa viii Not b,
Affected. The Corporation Commission
VIII Not Allow The New Classif-
cation ia This State.

Will NOt HItOW tt0 WV NidoStl>
cation ia This State.
Two changes in regulations and
classification governing shipments by
rail which are of considerable import
ance to merchants and shippers of this
section were put into effect last Mon
day July y. by the trunk lines and
the Southern railroads. The changes in
both instances amount to increases in
freight rates. The Southern roads in
creased the rate on cotton fabrics in the
original piece by requiring shipments
to be made fourth class instead of fifth
class as formerly, while the trunk lines
abolished the former fixed minimum
carload weight on a large number of
articles and have made the minimum
carload weight in accordance with the
size of the car furnished. That is to
say, changes will be made Tor the full
weight thus established whether such
weight is really shipped or not, and if
more than the newly fixed weights the
shipment will be charged for at actual
weight The advance in the Southern
rates is understood to be from Is TO 40
per cent, according to the length OF
the haul. The increase in carload
weights by the trunk lines runs from
20 to so per cent, that is, shippers will
have to pay for that much more weight
in carload than heretofore.
This change in the cotton goods rate
has been surprise to the whole
country. especially to Northern ner.
chants who have considerable South
ern dry goods trade. The advance in
rate will materially affect shippers of
cotton fabrics into Southern territory,
and VIII handicap them in competing in
this section. The advance applies only
TO shipments from the North and West,
the north bound shipments from South
ern mills and merchants being made
under commodity rates, which are
much lower than the regular class
rates. These commodity rates from
North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and
South Carolina factories to Ohio ano
Mississippi river crossing and Northern
and Western points range all the way
from 81 to rs cents per 100 pounds.
1t will thus be seen that the new rat-
ing does not affect the Southern cotton
mill, though it hits pretty hard the
merchant who buys his cotton fabrics
North. He will in future have to
charge his customers more for his
goods or buy direct from the Southern
factory on this point, an Atlanta rail-
road man is quoted as saying:
THE facts are that this change, as
promulgated, will but little affect the
cotton factories in the South. The cot
ton mills in Atlanta, and other points
in the South where there are cotton
spinning mills, have commodity rates
applying to eastern cities, New York,
Philadelphia. Baltimore, Boston, ETC.,
and also inferior eastern points, which
are lower than the old fifth class rate
in many cases, and these rates will not
be revoked or affected by the change in
the classification. There are also COM
modify rates on cotton factory products.
published from Atlanta and other cot
ton mill points in the South to Ohio
and Mississippi river crossings ano
points in the Northwest, also to Texas
common points and Missouri river
points, Arkansas points, ETC., etc., which
are actually much lower than even the
sixth class rates. This covers a large
area of territory and the principal COM
mercial points in those States, and as
there is no change in these commodity
rates there is no trouble or damage
done or contemplated to the cotton mill
industry in this territory. for the mills
will continue to pay the same rates.
hi Z, 1,ox TOR
ing to such points. 1t is true, there
has been change in the classification.
of some articles products of cotton
mills. from fifth to fourth class, but
this only applies where there is no COM
modify rate published, and will apply
in only few cases to local points, or
points in the Southern interior to which
so few shipments are made that no
commodity rate has been established"
At the Corporation Commission of
flee In this city yesterday it was stated
that there haG been ard would be no
change in rate in this SUITE on local
shipments The Commission is able to
control and no classification can he put
into effect without it's Consent. But
shipments through this State or from
other States into this State, it cannot
govern.
The. new rule and rating for cotton
fabrics which was put in force on Mon
day by Southern railroads reads as fol-
lows:
DRY Goods-Cotton fabrics in the
original piece (made wholly of cotton),
packed in rolls covered with burlaps, or
In boxes or bales, packages to be
stenciled plainly on the outside or
marked by tags. with name of shipper
and with following descriptions: This
case contains nothing but cotton ia
hrics in the original piece fourth
class"