Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-08
MILWAUKEE, REDUCES RATE
Pats Omaha Hardware Men on Same BGSis
as Their Competitors.
IN A POSITION TO HOLD THEIR TRADE
Does for Local Jobber what Great
western Cut Did for Kansas city
aDd 81. Joseph u the
south.

Immediately after reading in The Bee yes
terday morning that the Chicago Great
Western had taken a crack at the west
bound rates on iron and steel. City Freight
Agent Duvai OF the Milwaukee, realizing
that Omaha would gain no benefit from the
Stickney move because the stickney lines
do not reach here, took the matter UP with
the Chicago ONCE Of his line. As a result
The Bee is able to announce that the Mil
yankee has made the necessary reduction in
rates to put Omaha on an equal footing
with Denver. Kansas City and St. Joseph in
the matter Of iron and steel from Chicago.
This Is a great relief to the local hard
ware dealers and jobbers, for they have
been At a manifest disadvantage ever since
the cut to Denver was made, and the Chi
eago Great Western cut would have added
to their load, for 1t would have reduced
the rate to st. Joseph and Kansas City and
left Omaha out In the cold. BY taking the
initiative In the matter the Milwaukee has
removed this embargo from Omaha business.
Some weeks ago the Chicago-omaha lines
lowered the rates on steel and iron articles
from Chicago to Denver from n to 81 cents
q hundred. giving the Colorado city and
common points the same rate IS existed
between Chicago and Omaha. The reason
lot N0lo hCts WHICH was u pdlphUlb lulubNlCB
to Omaha, was that Denver was erecting a
packing plant In which structural iron and
steel we're needed. Some Colorado road
had made a secret cut, which was finally
exposed. and by the light of the interstate
m laws reflected in public print.
other roads then made the same reduction.
This reduction applied to all steel and iron
articles in the nth class, which included
nails, barbed wire, sheet iron, besides other
articles.
Omaha Merchants Kick in Vain.
As was published in The Bee a week or
two ago, wholesale hardware merchants in
Omaha found In this sort Of conduct on the
part Of the railroads the worst kind Of dis
elimination, as It enabled Chicago mer-
chants and dealers to enter omsha's ter
ritory and sell to the latter's customers,
since the reduced rates applied TO inter
mediate as we'll rs terminal points. There
fore the Omaha men entered a most en-
phatic protest to the several railroads
against such fragrant injustices. They held
that either the Denve rate should be re-
stored or the rate from Chicago/to Omaha
proportionately reduced. the latter being
their preference. They pleaded for a rate
from Chicago to this city OF ~ cents a
hundred, in view OF the rate Of q cents
made TO Denver.
A representative of one Of the leading
and largest firms In the city thus affected
said:
I'VE have about exhausted our moral
suaslon resources in trying to get these
roads to grant US a fair rate and withdraw
their discrimination against us as in favor
Of Denver. but we have failed to obtain a
single concession and have not a ray OIL
hope upon which to base the belief thai
our pleadings will be effective. But the
roads will have to give In, that is all there
is TO that. They are usurping privileges
that do not belong to them, are subjectini
us to most severe determinations and In.
Turing our trade extensively. II they Sill
persist In ignoring our demands we will
Garry the case to the Interstate Commerce
commission, where l confidently believe VIZ
will be able to get Justice. We will b,
able to present a very strong case agains
the roads. Their action is clearly in oper
violation of the laws governing interstate
trafhc and their arbitrary conduct would
not be tolerated by the commerce.. 1 be,
lieve.
Compact with Union Pacific.
I'VE know that these roads have not onl,
made this discriminating rate in favor o
Denver. but some, or at least one OF tn,