Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-04-09
PINE BLUFF AT A STAGE
When Concerted Action Is Necessary to-
the Peoples Best Interests =..". u

Pine Bluff is now at that critical
stage of existence that it can be pushed
forward. by proper endeavor and earn
est effort on the part of everybody in
the city. to a city of great commercial
and industrial magnitude. or it is
going to be mighty easy Off a lack of
the proper energy to at least let the
city's growth remain practically sta
liGnalN if it is not given a backset. Net
only has Pine Bluff reached that stage
III It's history when ii must be pushed
forward along commercial and indus
trial lines. or settle down into a pras'-
ieallY fixed state of an ovorgroWn
town fer an Indefinite period. but il
lies between three of the most hustling
cities in the south-IittIe Rock Mem
phis and Shrcveport-hence the great
necessity for taking advantage of every
opportunity to push Pine Bluff to the
front and to make the city successfully
HOlu us OWN against llle SldIp COmDP-
tition with which it is surrounded. Not
a single opportunity is lost by any one
of the three cities named to gobble all
the business and industries possible
The stranger within the gates" is gra-
ciouslN received, and every move is
made that can be made in order to
secure him as an addition if it is ap-
parent that he is worth anything com
morciaily or industrially, though prob.
ably only in modest way. One of the
most successful levers used by these
cities is their freight bureaus, through
which the very best freight rates are
secured for the shippers These bureaus
are maintaintained by popular sub
scripton on the part of the interests
most largely benefited, and the various
jobbers and retail merchants
find it wise to spend a hundred or so
dollars per year in employing thor
oughly competent traffic man to look
after the freight business of the city.
In this city the lumber interest, the
jobbers, the Wholesale liquor men,
retail merchants. the elevator people.
the wholesale drug companies. cotton
stave factories. oil mills and a hun
dred others, have in year thousands
of cars to be routed. If any one of
these concerns goes to a railroad com
pany and requests low rates, the indi-
vidua request is small and consequent
ly can do little towards securing a
concession, while an agent represent-
ing the entire shipping interests Of
Pine Bluff could figure with the heaGs
Of railroad people for rates from New
York, Chicago, St. Louis and New Or
leans and get concessions worth thous-
ands of dollars, because there would
be thousands of cars to route, conse
QGently thousands Of dollars of haul
age. The freight saving on business
in such quantities would in less than
year save to the business people of
Pine Bluff many times the expense of
maintaining the bureau.
Another advantage is that a man
possessed Of ability to do this work
properly would constantly be in touch
with the heads Of railroads all over
the country, and would thereby be able
to accomplish results which can not
be otherwise accomplished
In September 1901, St. Louis,
through it's freight bureau, secured
cheap rates into Arkansas, SO that
st. Louis merchants could compete |
with the Arkansas jobbers. Memphis
is now endeavoring to obtain the same
recognition over the Cotton Belt and |
if it succeeds, the jobbers of Pine Bluff |
will face a proposition that they have
never yet encountered. BY concerted |
action Pine Bluff should endeavor to
forestall any such result as Memphis |
is endeayoring to bring about, and en-
'deavor to induce the Cotton Belt to |
keep the rate. at what it has always
BEEN Now, who in the city can and
is willing to say to the Cotton Belt:
you dare not?" Who controls enough
business to dictate to the railroads in
anything? A concentration of inter
ests through an organized freight bu-