The San Francisco call., 1905-06-13
Business Men Seek
to Get Back
Big Sums.
ChargeSouthern Pacific
With Violation Of
the Law.
Allege Unfairness Against
This City That Assists
Rival Terminals.

| Suit has been brought by the merchants
included in the membership of the Pacific
Coast Jobbers' and Manufacturers Asso-
citation against the Southern Pacific Com
pany TO prevent the railroad corpora tion
| from collecting a State toll on. overland
freights that enter San Francisco by way
of the coast line and that do not cross
| the States water front in this city. A
complaint signed by II. d. Loveland
president of the Jobbers' and Manufac-
turers' Association, and by Seth Mann
attorney for the associat ton, was for
warded to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission yesterday.
Not only is it asked that the Southern
Pacific Company shall desist from the
practice to which the merchants object
but also that the defendant corporation
shall be ordered and required to make
reparation and restitution to the com
plainants by refunding all amounts here
tofore or hereafter charged or collected
as described.
The effect of charging State tolls on all
| freights that enter this city over the
lines of the Southern Pacific Company is
to cause San Francisco to pay 81 more
per carload, or cents per ton, than is
paid by any other terminal point on the
Pacific Coast. Not only are Seattle, Ia
coma and Los Angeles favored by the
| amount of 81 a carload as against San
4
| minals in this State north of Tehachapi
are better off to the amount of the State
toll than is San Francisco. The tax
against the interests of San Francisco in
ficted by the tolls amounts to a large
sum, reckoned in the thousands of dollars
every year. The coast line of the South
ern Pacific Company was completed in
1900. The practice of charging State tolls
via that route was brought in inme-
diately on the opening of the through
route via Santa Barbara, and has been
continued ever since.
CHARGES ARE DETAILED.
1t is set forth in the complaint that the
Jobbers' and Manufacturers Association
is an organization of individuals, firms
and corporations, formed for the promo
ton and defense of jobbing and manufac-
turing interests on the Pacific Coast. and
that the membership comprises a large
number of representative persons, firms
and corporations engaged in either whole
sale business or in manufacturing in Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington, large
number having their places of business in
San Francisco and being engaged and in
terested in the transportation of mer-
chandise and commodities from points
east of California to San Francisco. The
defendant is a common carrier engaged in
the transportation of passengers and
property, partly by railroad and partly
by water,S from points in the United
States east of California to points in the
State of California. AS common car
rier 1t is subject to the interstate COM
merce act.
How the States water front in this city
figures in the case is SET forth in para
graph in the complaint that recounts the
fact that the water front Is under the
charge and management of the State
Board of Harbor Commissioners, and
that under the Political Code the Harbor
Commissioners have the right to fix rates
of wharfage, idockage, cranage, tolls and
ule.
Said board" it is set forth. has fixed
and regulated said rates as aforesaid,
and charges and collects, and for many
years last past has charged and collected
rates of wharfage, tolls and other charges
according to the schedule adopted by the
board. Said tolls are the charges made
and collected for merchandise passing
over said State premises, that is, over
the wharves and water front of San
Francisco.
These rates are five cents per ton: one
cent per 400 pounds and less; two cents
on 500 pounds and less and more than
400 pounds; three cents on 1900 pounds and
less and more than 500 pounds: four cents
on 1900 pounds or less and more than
1900 pounds; five cents on 1000 pounds and
less and more than 1000 pounds
Prior to the completion of the coast
line the Bouthern Pacific Company
brought all its freight originating be-
yond the boundaries of the State of Cali
fornia and destined to the city of San
Francisco to the east side of the bay at
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