The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-16
SAVANNAH WILL
NOT BE HELPED
BY R. R. COMMISSIONS ORDER.
BELIEVED REDUCTIONS WILL
SOLELY BENEFIT ATLANTA.

Territory Reached by Savannah
VIII Be Rendered More Accessible
to That City-Vice President win
burn, of Central of Georgia, Says
His Road Has Usually Obeyed RuI-
inSs of the COmmissiOn-Was a
Fight for Atlanta.
Just in what way the acting of the
Georgia Railroad Commission in maxi
ing sweeping reductions in rates on
certain classes of freight, will benefit
savannah, local railroad men were I'M
able to state yesterday. Indeed it was
the general opinion among them that
the PRONUNCIATION of Order No. 3O1 is
for the benefit of Atlanta, and further.
that the carrying out of the full plan
mapped out by the commission will in
jure rather than benefit, Savannah.
With the splendid advantages offered
by the water routes to the Eastern
points Savannah. of course, is entitled
to rail rates to compete with the ocean
carriers, otherwise the railroad would
be practically shut out from freight,
except for perishables.
Based on the ocean rates, the terri
tory to be supplied by Savannah job
bers and manufacturers shares in the
fortunate location of this city, so far
as Eastern points are concerned.
In the very sections in which the
commission has ordered reductions,
amounting in some cases to a cutting
rF ~
and manufacturers have built up good
trade. The reductions in favor of At
lanta will, of course. be that much to
the detriment of Savannah's trade in
the sections covered.
Atlanta Started Agitation.
The Atlanta Freight Bureau started
the agitation because, as it was al
legged, Birmingham and Nashville were
supplying Macon, Augusta, Columbus,
and Athens, and other Georgia points,
aided by more favorable freight rates
than Atlanta was able to obtain for
the short haul.
The right to make rates to competi-
tive points having been held by the
Supreme Court not to be governed by
the long and short haul clause, an ap-
peal was made to the Georgia Railroad
Commission. Hearings were had in
which the subject was discussed at
considerable length. The representa-
tives of the railroads presented their
side of the case in opposition to the
proposed reduction, and the question
was taken under advisement by the
commission.
After considering the case fully, the
commission decided that the reductions
asked by the Atlanta Freight Bureau
were just and should be allowed, and
accordingly the order outlined in yes
terday's Morning News dispatches
was issued.
Perhaps the Central of Georgia will
be the hardest hit by the order, as it
connects Atlanta with three of the
four cities to which a reduction has
been ordered.
Atlanta Not Bad on.
Mr.. w. A. Winburn, second vice
president and traffic manager of the
Central who represented his road at
the hearing, in speaking of the matter
yesterday, said:
The commission has generally been
fair, though in a number of cases it
has established lower rates than we
thought right The Central has never
disregarded any of its orders.
I'VE feel a great deal of interest in
Atlantas prosperity and have put
good deal of good money into that
city. 1t is quite possible that they are
not as bad off as they would have some
other folks think.
Il have not yet read the full pro-
ceedings in the matter and cannot say
what course the Central will pursue.
Our views of the case were fully pre-
sented to the commission in our an
swer"
Under the order referred to the re-
auctions will go into effect on Sept. rs,
unless the railroads decide to fight the
order in the courts
The list of commodities on which re-
auctions have been made from At
lanta to the four cities named embraces
about seventy articles, including sash,
blinds and doors, on which the rate has
been reduced from 81 cents per 100
pounds to Macon to 16 cents; mat
tresses from 81 to 20 cents; carriages,
SO cents to so cents; confectionery
from 4S to % cents; wood tables, As to
25 cents; terra Gotta, 81 to 20 cents;
trunks, AZ to % cents; brooms, % to 10
cents.